Healing the Wild
by Jewelbox1322
Summary: A flourishing reef holds a mysterious and exciting new discovery. First season.
1. Chapter 1

**Healing the Wild**

**Author's Note: Okay, so between my life, health, work, and writer's block, I have not been as up-to-date on my story, Danger Down Under, as I'd like to be. However, please know I have not abandoned it! **

**In the meantime, I had this idea for another story and I simply cannot ignore it as it has completely consumed me. Unlike my other two stories, I am going with what would happen in an episode during the first season so Nathan and Kristin are not married nor is Lucas their son. I do tend to focus on them, though. Please bear with me as I publish the muse that is speaking the loudest at the moment. If you are interested in helping me as a beta or as an additional muse, please PM me. I'd love to know your thoughts! **

**As always, I hope you enjoy and PLEASE read and review. I'm trying to become a better writer and your feedback helps immensely. Plus, it keeps me motivated to keep going if I know people are reading. **

**Disclaimer: I did not create the SeaQuest DSV series nor do I own its characters. They are the product of Rockne S. O'Bannon. I am obsessed with these characters and feel like there was more that could have been done after the first season. I write fanfiction purely for fun and not for profit. **

Somewhere off the South American coast…

Dr. Kristin Westphalen and Captain Nathan Bridger were scuba diving along a newly rescued wall of a reef. It was a nice break since they had just completed a rather strenuous mission. The coral had grown since the last time they visited and they were curious as to what was causing it.

"Nathan, this reef is extraordinary!"

"Yes, it's a wonder that just a few short weeks ago, this area was in danger of disappearing!"

"Well, the ecosystem certainly has picked up. Look at all this! It's flourished exponentially!"

As they continued exploring the reef, something shiny on the reef wall caught Kristin's eye.

"Nathan, over here. I think I found something." She swam down to a small cave along the side wall of the reef and reached in at what seemed to be a half-buried box, about as big as a playing card and over 6 inches deep. It was a simple metal chest with a lock in the front. Two dime-sized blue gemstones covered the front of the lid and there was a spot where a third gemstone should have been but had fallen out. Kristin was mesmerized as she picked it up.

"This is extraordinary! I wonder what's inside?"

Nathan swam right up to her and took a look.

"Wow. That is one hell of a find. We'd better get this back to the SeaQuest and see if we can find out what's inside. Is it heavy?"

"A little bit. Would you mind carrying it back?"

"Not at all." Nathan picked up the box from Kristin. "You ready to head back?"

"I suppose so. It's still mind-boggling as to how quickly this reef just came back from the brink." She looked back at the cave and noticed a small shiny blue object near where the box was. She reached out her hand to grab for it. As soon as she did, a small, unknown creature that looked like an eel quickly stuck its head out the cave and scared her. She instinctively pulled her hand away but managed to scrape it on a nearby jagged rock. "Ouch!" Kristin pulled her hand back in pain, holding her other hand to cover what was surely a small wound. The small creature swam away from the area too quickly for her to notice where it went.

"Kristin, are you okay?"

"Yes, I think so. Something just scared me and I hit my hand on a rock!" She looked down at her wounded hand and noticed some blood trickling out. She covered it back up and looked at Nathan.

"I'm fine. I just need to get back and bandage it up. The salt water stings a bit. Let's just go." She reached back to grab the small pebble, evidently the missing gemstone for the front of the metal chest.

They proceeded to swim back to the SeaQuest. As they came out of the moon pool, Kristin quickly walked over to one of the walls and pulled out a med unit. She found some antiseptic cleanser and some gauze for her wound. There were a few small scrapes right on the back of her hand and between her index finger and thumb. They were still large enough to leave some scars. Nathan noticed this and put the chest on one of the tables as he looked worriedly at her.

"You alright?" He walked over to make sure.

"Yes, I'm fine. Nothing a little gauze and some time and healing can't fix. Bloody creature. Would have at least been nice to see what it was. The whole area is beaming! Nathan we should consider sending a research team out there to investigate how quickly this reef grew."

"I think we can arrange for that. The implications for reef rehabilitation could be an amazing breakthrough. Now that you're all fixed up, why don't we take a look at what's inside that box?"

"I see your curiosity has gotten the best of you. I'm dying to know what's in it too!" She said with a girlish smile. They both walked over to the table and took a closer look at the metal chest.

"We're gonna need a crowbar or something."

"Captain!" Lucas walked over from the corridor after overhearing the captain and the doctor talking. Kristin greeted him with a smile.

"Lucas! I'll have you know you missed quite the dive. I'm going to have you join my research team to study this reef. It's beaming with life!"

"Isn't this the reef that looked like it was about to die last time we were here?"

"Yes! It's incredible!"

"Well, I wish I had joined you guys after all." He pointed to the box. "So what's that? Buried treasure?"

Nathan spoke up. "It certainly looks like it. Dr. Westphalen found it in one of the hidden caves on the side of the wall."

"Very cool. Are those real gemstones?" He took a closer look.

"They would appear to look like sapphires, but I'll have to test them to make sure." She took the loose one out of her belt pouch and held it out for them to see. She then stuck the sapphire in the hole on the box and it seemed to click almost immediately as the casing around the hole held it in place.

"Wow. Doc, you just stumbled on a fortune. Do you get to keep all this?"

Nathan interjected. "It wasn't an archeological dive and we have no way of knowing who this belongs to. Unless something is inside that tells us otherwise."

"But Nathan, this could be of major historical importance."

"We'll settle this once we know what we're dealing with."

Lucas jumped in. "Yeah, doc. Let's see what you got!"

"We need a crowbar, first." Nathan spoke rationally.

"Crowbar?" Lucas looked disappointed. "Cap, come on. Get with the present. A laser cutter is so much more effective."

"Call me old-fashioned. Some things just work." Nathan defended himself.

Kristin giggled and Lucas smiled as he responded. "I'll grab our laser cutter."

He walked over to the main lab bench and searched through the drawers, wielding the aforementioned tool victoriously.

"Doc, you want to do the honors?" He held out the tool for her to accept.

"On second thought, Lucas, I don't think I should. My hand isn't feeling up to it." She held up her bandaged hand.

"Yikes. What happened?"

"Oh it's nothing, just a few scrapes from a rock. It's not terribly painful, but I'm worried I might not have the best coordination without both hands."

Lucas nodded and looked at Nathan. "Cap? You want to handle this?"

Nathan smiled and replied. "Why don't you show us how it's done, Kiddo?"

Lucas looked a bit shocked and smiled widely. "Really? You sure it's okay?" He looked at both of them.

Kristin responded. "Absolutely, Lucas. Now get on with it. We can't wait to see what's inside!"

"Alright. Here goes nothing." He held up the tool and aimed it, holding the side of the lock with his other hand to keep it steady.

"Just be careful and don't hurt yourself." Nathan couldn't help himself.

"I think I got this. Thanks."

After a few seconds, the lock was cut and Lucas shut off the tool and unhooked the lock.

"Now, I insist that the Doc open it and discover her treasure."

"Well, that I think I can manage." She smiled and reached for the box, slowly lifting the top and letting everyone have a good view. There was a lot of velvety red fabric. She carefully lifted some of the fabric, searching for the contents. They all looked completely entranced by the glass-looking orb that lay inside. It looked like a frosted light blue marble.

"Wow. Why such a huge box for that?" Lucas asked what was on all their minds.

"I have no idea." Kristin reached in and pulled up the orb gently. It wasn't very big but it certainly looked nice.

"What is it?" Nathan asked.

"I'll have to do some lab tests. But it feels very light and the coloring doesn't look like a pearl or any other material I can think of."

"Looks like a dud. Could be a marble." Lucas didn't seem too impressed.

"That is a possibility. It may not be anything more than just glass."

Nathan was just as confused. "It's strange that someone would go through the trouble of putting this in a locked metal chest."

Lucas thought for a moment. "Maybe it's one of those geo-cache treasure hunts. You know, where you hide something and then post coordinates for other people to find your treasure?"

Kristin didn't look convinced. "Maybe. But whatever this is, I'd like to take a closer look at it. It certainly is beautiful. And the whole thing makes for a lovely jewelry box."

Nathan confirmed. "Technically, you found it so I insist you keep it. At least until we know what it is."

"Of course, Captain." She carefully wrapped the orb in the fabric and placed it back in the box. "In the meantime, I'd like to send a research team to go out there and collect some samples. We should take a closer look at these creatures and see if we can isolate what's caused this breakthrough."

"I agree. Send them out immediately. Might as well take advantage of the downtime while we're here. Lucas, what do you say…you want to join in this time?"

"Sure, Cap. I'll get ready."

The science team were able to collect a few samples and lay them out in various large 90-gallon tanks near the moon pool. There were over 30 different types of species and coral spread between five tanks. Several members of the team were preparing solutions and documenting the various creatures in the computers.

After placing her new box in one of the drawers, Kristin sat at one of the benches with Lucas. They were documenting the animals in one of the tanks, when she noticed a fist-sized bright yellow fish approach a much smaller blue fish and attack it violently. The blue fish had a relatively large bite in it and Kristin worried for it's health and safety. She immediately grabbed a small net and isolated it from the rest of the tank into a smaller bowl with the same reef water. Neither of them was prepared for what they saw next.

The smaller fish slowly started tilting on its side, as if it was dying. All of a sudden, a rather bright flash of light beamed from the bite wound.

"What in the bloody…" Kristin whispered to herself in shock and confusion. The fish had completely healed itself and was actively swimming around again in the bowl in the span of 10 seconds. Kristin looked at Lucas, who had the same puzzled and amazed look on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: Thank you _so much_ to my beta author, darkin520, for her invaluable help and feedback! Darcy, you are fantastic! :) I hope everyone enjoys the story…and, of course, please read and review. Your thoughts make my day! **

**Healing the Wild - Chapter 2**

"Doc, did you just see what I just saw?"

"I think so, Lucas." Both of them were still overwhelmed.

"That was…very cool. We'd better tell the captain."

Kristin nodded and reached for her PAL unit and called Nathan over.

"Captain to Science lab 4, please." Nathan noticed something was different about her voice, like she was in shock. He responded immediately.

"Kristin, everything okay?"

"Yes. I, uh…I think you'd better get over here, Captain."

"I'll be right there."

Within moments, he was there with a concerned look on his face. He approached Kristin and Lucas, who were staring at a small blue fish in a separate bowl from one of the tanks.

"What's wrong?"

Kristin spoke in a low whisper, so as to not alert anyone else in the area in case they were mistaken. "Oh, I don't think anything is wrong. But you should be aware that Lucas and I have just witnessed a potential miracle…I think this fish…possibly _all _of these creatures on the reef…possess an innate ability to heal their own wounds."

Nathan's eyes widened. He responded in an equally low voice.

"But that's…I mean…can you be sure? I mean, is there a way to prove this?"

"I'll see if there is something peculiar in their genetic makeup. Nathan, this could be a _huge _breakthrough."

"Well, see what you can find out about it before we alert anyone." He looked around suspiciously. "We don't want this falling into the wrong hands."

"Should I call off my staff?"

"Perhaps it would be wise to put this on hold until you and Lucas can pinpoint this. Only tell people if you need their expertise, but I'd like to keep this as quiet as possible."

"Understood, Captain; I couldn't agree more." Kristin nodded and looked at Lucas. "Come on, Lucas. You and I have some work to do."

"Right on." Lucas was especially excited to be involved in this opportunity. This was a unique chance to work on a top-secret experiment.

Kristin called off the science team and had them begin cleaning some of the samples up. She gathered everyone's reports and documentations, and she and Lucas began to take a look. No one had stumbled on anything yet, which was good news. After a few hours of experimentation, Lucas and Kristin were able to make a few initial assumptions. They retreated to Kristin's quarters and called Captain Bridger to join them for what they found.

Bridger spoke as he walked in the door and locked it behind him.

"So, what were you able to find out so far?"

Kristin jumped in. "Well, so far…what we have noticed is an extremely heightened level of enzymatic activity in these creatures. They have properties that allow them to create chemical reactions a lot more quickly than normal…I'm talking oxidation reduction, hydrolysis, isomerization, ligases…in a nutshell, energy breakdown and absorption, protein synthesis, cell regeneration...well, we haven't calculated it yet, but these processes seem over 100 times _more _effective than normal! Nathan, their immune systems are _extraordinary_."

Lucas chimed in. "Something like this could revolutionize medicine."

Kristin jumped back in, unable to control herself. "We haven't yet isolated all of the chromosomal properties and what we've found is just preliminary, but it's certainly proving to be exciting."

Nathan smiled, impressed with his two scientists and thrilled with the possibilities. "This is fantastic. Good work. Keep doing what you're doing. But...keep it on the down low. Once we have more information, prepare a full report."

Kristin nodded and Lucas spoke, "Does this mean we get a Nobel Prize?"

"Well, I don't know about that…but I'll be sure your names are the first two on this discovery."

Lucas smiled wide, his eyes beaming with the possibilities as he looked at Kristin. Nathan thought of something and spoke.

'Oh, and Kristin, were you able to find out what that marble thing is?"

"Not yet. I was so wrapped up with this other work that I completely forgot about it. But, I have it here in my drawer." She walked over to her nightstand, pulled out the box, and put it on top of her nightstand. "I'll take a look at it in the morning."

"Alright, well, I'm needed back on the bridge. You both get some rest. It's been a long and exciting day. I hope to join you tomorrow." He opened the door and looked back at them. "Excellent work. I'm proud of both of you." He smiled and walked out. Lucas couldn't stop smiling, and he and Kristin shared a strong hug.

"Alright, smarty pants, you heard him. We should get some rest and be ready for another busy day."

"Absolutely, Doc." He paused before he asked the next question with a twinkle in his eye. "Have you ever known anyone who's won a Nobel Prize before?"

"Oh, Lucas, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let's just think about what it would be like to_ isolate_ something like this and then utilize it so to be able to save so many lives."

Lucas left, and Kristin started getting ready for bed. When she was lying down on her bunk, she grabbed the box on her nightstand and took a closer look. The gems seemed to be brighter than they were before. She opened up the box and looked back inside. The previously light blue orb was now a shade of pink and seemed to be glowing.

"Well, that's strange. I could have sworn it was blue earlier today," she muttered to herself.

She picked up the pearl-looking orb and rolled it around her hand to see if anything else had changed. It seemed a little heavier. It was then she noticed some sort of inscription on the bottom of the box. They looked like a language but she had no idea which one. She'd need to talk to Lieutenant O'Neill about this. He was fluent in several languages, and she deduced that he would have a clue in translating. She put the orb on her nightstand right next to the open box. She was too tired to think too much about it right now and fell right to sleep.

The next morning, she woke up completely refreshed and ready to take on the rest of their new research. She also had a strange feeling; somehow, she felt different...stronger. She went to the bathroom and got ready to take a shower. As she unwrapped her bandage so as to not get it wet, she noticed her hand wasn't in any more pain. When she removed the last bit of gauze, she saw her hand looked completely healed. There was nothing there, not even a light scar. What's more, her whole hand looked…_younger_…somehow. She looked up at the mirror and noticed her whole appearance looked a little younger. Her eye and forehead wrinkles were significantly less, if not gone, and her skin was radiant. She was really confused.

"What _is_ going on here?" She touched her face incredulously. As she showered, she felt every part of her body was different. Her abs were more pronounced, her arms seemed muscular…even her hair had a stronger, brighter tinge to it, and her gray hairs were gone. It was like she was back in her twenties or early thirties. She got ready and went out to the lab where she knew she'd find Lucas.

As she walked to the lab, she didn't notice that some members of the crew were staring at her as she walked by. She saw Lucas sitting at the bench, deep in thought as he stared at some lab results and wondered how long he had been there. She noticed he looked a little tired and had a cup of coffee next to him.

"Lucas, did you get enough rest last night?"

Lucas looked up and was about to answer, but his face looked a little shocked.

"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." Kristin tried to lighten the mood.

Lucas was at a loss for words. "I…I'm sorry. I just…Doc, you look…different."

"Yes, I suppose I do. I really needed a good long rest. I feel better than I have in ages."

"No, but…I mean. You look…I don't know… lots younger."

"Lucas, thank you for the comment. But come on, I just put on a little makeup and had some very restful sleep. It's nothing. Now, let's get back to our work. The sooner we figure this out, the sooner we can help the world." She brushed his comments off, trying not to attract too much attention. But deep down, she did think something was weird and was hoping to find out what.

"Well, you look great, whatever it is."

They continued their experiments. Somehow, everything that came up was clear to Kristin. It was almost like her movements and thoughts required no energy on her part. Their research was going very well, though they were still waiting on crucial results that would take anywhere between 24 to 48 hours to interact and appear.

She sat down at her computer and figured she'd summarize what they had found so far. Her typing was quick and flawless. She surprised herself with how fluid it all was.

**On the bridge…**

Everything was running smoothly on the bridge, when all of a sudden Lieutenant Tim O'Neill spoke up in a distressed voice.

"Captain, I have an emergency uplink from the Terra Guardi farming colony."

Nathan and the rest of the bridge looked worried. "Put it up on the main screen, O'Neill."

"Aye, Sir."

The screen came up to show the close-up of an obviously worried man.

"Mayday, mayday, this is the Terra Guardi farming colony. My name is Sean Reese; I am the bionics lab coordinator at our facility. We have just been attacked."

"Mr. Reese, this is Captain Nathan Bridger of the UEO _seaQuest._ We are nearby and are able to lend you assistance. Do you know who these people are and why they attacked you?"

"We believe they are drug traffickers. They answer to a man named Alfredo Diaz. They've been stealing some of our crops and have been terrorizing our people for years. I guess you could say we had an…_informal_ agreement…with them. But now, they are collecting more than their share." Reese looked pained and seemed guilty of something. Nathan knew there was more to the story, but decided not to probe just yet.

"We'll be there as soon as possible. Are the attackers still there?"

"I don't know. We're in hiding, trying to avoid getting caught or hurt or…_killed_."

"Do you have any wounded?"

"Several, I'm afraid. Please hurry!" With that, Dr. Reese terminated the transmission. Nathan looked at Commander Jonathan Ford.

"Commander, how far are we from the colony?"

"We can be there in 15 minutes."

"Do it. Crocker!"

Chief Manilow Crocker looked alert. "Sir!"

"I want you to assemble a security team and get them to a launch immediately."

"Yes, Sir!" Crocker responded immediately and alerted his team.

"O'Neill, I want you to keep listening for any other communications. See if you can get us into their security system. I want full video of what's going on out there. Ortiz!"

Chief Miguel Ortiz looked at attention.

"I want you to send the WSKRS out. See if you can get us a visual on what's going on out there. But don't let anyone see you."

"Aye, Captain."

Nathan looked at Commander Ford. "I'll be in the science bay if you need me. I'm going to assemble a med team."

"Yes, Sir."

Nathan ran to the science bay as quickly, but safely, as he could. He saw Lucas there standing near one of the benches, and Kristin was hunched over one of the microscopes on the bench next to it.

"Lucas! I need your help. We have an emergency situation at a nearby farming colony. Drug traffickers, led by a man named Alfredo Diaz, are attacking them. See what you can find out about him."

"Alright, Cap, but what about our research?"

"I'm afraid that's going to have to wait."

Kristin looked up from the microscope, having heard what was going on and faced the captain.

"Are you in need of a medical team?"

Bridger looked over at the sound of her voice and did a double take, looking confused and shocked. Kristin looked a little annoyed.

"Not you too. Look, I got lots of sleep and put on some makeup. Now everyone is staring at me like I'm some freak of nature."

"It's just…well, you just…look…"

She finished his thought. "…different, yes, I know. But we have a crisis on our hands, Captain. Should I assemble some of my people to tend to the wounded?"

He snapped out of it and tried to ignore the obvious. "Yes, I want you and a few others to go on board to help these people. Meet in the launch bay in 10 minutes."

"Yes, Captain." She walked away, ready to assemble her team and the necessary medical supplies.

Nathan looked at Lucas, still a bit shocked.

"Do you see what I 'm seeing?"

"Yes, Cap. But she doesn't seem too thrilled to hear it from anyone. She looks amazing, though."

Nathan breathed out a heavy sigh he didn't know he was holding in. "That, she does." He seemed lost in his thoughts, staring off at Kristin as she expertly assembled her team in the distance.

Lucas smiled knowingly, trying to act as if he didn't realize his captain's reaction to the ship's doctor. Then again, he always knew that chemistry was there between them. Today was just a little more obvious. "So, Cap, Alfredo Diaz?"

Nathan looked at the kid as if he just woke up from a trance. "Yes, see what you can find out about these people."

"Yes, Sir." Lucas smiled all the way back to his quarters. Nathan was left looking perplexed and a little confused by his thoughts. She really did look very different. He had always thought she was beautiful but suddenly, she seemed…radiant. He took one more look towards her and noticed she had a clipboard as she approached several members of her team. Wait a second…her hand. She no longer had her bandage on. Her hand was completely healed. Something was definitely strange about all this. He was sure she would have had at least a few scars from the scrapes. He quickly regained control of his thoughts and turned to hurry to the launch bay, ready to get a team to that colony. The whole way there, he couldn't stop thinking about her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Thank you so much to my lovely beta, Darcy, and to all of my reviewers and faithful readers. I hope you're enjoying the story and I appreciate your comments and support.**

**Healing the Wild - Chapter 3**

The launch team approached the cargo docking station. They thought it best to avoid arousing any suspicion from the drug traffickers. Ford headed up the team, which included Chief Crocker and several members of his security team, Lt. Commander Hitchcock, Dr. Westphalen, and a few medical staff members.

As soon as they were docking and getting ready to go in, Commander Ford addressed the team.

"Alright, everyone, stay close. There's no telling what exactly is going on. Last I heard, the WSKRs did not show any signs of the attackers still being docked. Please keep your safety in mind when trying to help these people. Crocker, I want you and your team to secure the area. You all know what to do. Try not to provoke these people. With any luck, they've already gotten what they wanted and are on their way out. Doc, is your team ready for this?"

Kristin nodded. Like everyone else, Ford tried to ignore the fact that something seemed different about her.

"Alright, remember. Stay close. We have people to help."

They all exited the launch, ensuring Crocker and the security team stayed ahead.

When they arrived, Ford spoke up.

"We are with the UEO. My name is Commander Jonathan Ford of the _seaQues_t. We are here to help you. Who's in charge here?"

Sean Reese spoke up. "I am the coordinator here. My name is Sean Reese."

"Mr. Reese, I understand you have a few injured personnel."

"Yes, they are over there." He pointed to the corner of the room where most of the injured were located. The med team moved to them immediately, while Crocker and his team stood at the doors. Ford continued speaking.

"Do you have any idea what these guys wanted?"

"Well, I'm afraid we are not blameless, Mr. Ford." He spoke with regret. "We've had previous dealings with Alfredo Diaz and his men. You see, they have been using our facilities to grow certain substances which are not necessarily legal. They do this in exchange for our lives. We have been cowards, afraid of reporting them for fear of being attacked. It has been this way for many years. But this time, they found out a little more about our research. They wanted more than what they had gotten before. When we refused, they were not too thrilled. We're not sure what made them leave, but we know they'll be back."

Kristin overheard Reese speaking to Jonathan as she finished up bandaging one of the colony members who had a potential wrist fracture and a scrape on his forehead. She noticed most of the colonists were scientists and the majority of them were men…only a handful of women and children. She looked towards Reese as she finished up, hoping to find out more.

"Mr. Reese, my name is Dr. Kristin Westphalen. I am curious…what sort of research did they seem interested in?"

Reese paused for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. Then, he nodded, noting the severity of the situation.

"Well, Doctor, it is something we've been trying to keep secret. If it falls in the wrong hands, it could be very bad…I assure you, this is not something we want to hand over." He didn't want to give this information to strangers, even if they were there to rescue them. Kristin could sense the man's hesitation and thought for a moment before realizing she may know what was going on.

"This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the proliferation of life on the reef nearby would it?"

Sean Reese looked shocked at Westphalen.

"How…"

"Mr. Reese, I think I might know a little about what you are talking about. We are here to help. If I could have a word with you, perhaps, privately?" she asked, motioning to an adjoining room. Ford was looking at Kristin in confusion.

"It's alright, Commander. It's…secret research. Captain Bridger is aware of what I'm talking about."

Ford nodded in recognition. She looked back at Reese, who responded, "Alright, Doctor Westphalen. Let's talk next door."

Reese and Kristin walked over to the lab next door and had a seat. Reese looked around to make sure no one else was in the room and that they were alone.

"Alright, Doctor Westphalen. What do you know about our research?"

"Well, the only thing I know is that we stumbled upon a reef that only a few weeks ago was on the verge of dying. All of a sudden, it seems to have flourished, and we aren't sure why. What we do know, after studying a few of the fish and coral, is that they have levels of enzymes well beyond the normal range and that they are able to heal themselves and perform various cellular reactions quicker than normal. We haven't been able to isolate everything just yet, but only three of us on the entire ship are aware of what might be going on, including the captain. We figured it was best to keep this quiet until we understood what was happening."

Reese nodded his head. "And that is all you know?"

"Well, so far that's all we've been able to gather. We had just stumbled on this when you called."

"And you know nothing of what's caused this?"

Kristin shook her head. "I was hoping you'd be able to fill me in."

Reese took a deep sigh. "Well, I suppose you understand the implications of this research. In the right hands, it can save lives. But it can also be a Pandora 's Box of evil. You see, I typically study living organisms and try to mimic or enhance their abilities through technology. In our work, we've stumbled upon something accidentally…as these things tend to happen…and, while we are excited about the possibilities, we cannot ethically unleash this into the world. What you have seen in this reef is the original intention of the project. We were hoping to facilitate the healing process in dying environments. However, one of our enhancements proved to be a little more _potent_ than expected. Mind you, we have only tested it on this reef, but it is having the effect we expected…we just didn't expect it to happen so quickly. We used this discovery on some of these creatures in our lab. After releasing them in the wild, they seemed to flourish and mate and create new life. What we're not so sure of is what the future holds."

"You released them without knowing what would happen?"

"Well, it's in the name of science, Kristin. We wanted to understand this potential cure…to save living reefs."

Kristin nodded hesitantly. "And this…Alfredo Diaz…is he aware of what you're doing?"

"I don't think he knows exactly what we've discovered. Although…he is aware we were working on something strong to help heal wounds…we have been providing him with _other_ help." He looked dejected.

" Such as?"

"Well, it's a long story, but a few years ago, this group of men attacked our peaceful colony. As a means of negotiation, they promised they wouldn't hurt anyone as long as we helped them. We've helped them create biological capsules to store and transport their drugs. They can move around without the drugs being detected by security. And they fund our research and supplies. Desperate times, I suppose. We're not proud of it, but it keeps our people alive." He took a brief pause. "Last time they were here, they took my son in the process…they said they will keep him alive as long as he helps them deal drugs as a means of collateral. If we stop helping them, I will never see my son again. They said they would be back to collect more."

Kristin's heart sank after hearing this man's story. Surely, they had been through a lot in the past few years.

"Well, the _seaQuest_ is the most powerful ship in the oceans. We will get your son back and we will help you deal with these people. Right now, we need to find out more about this…what exactly is it? A serum?"

"The best way for absorption is direct skin contact. We've been able to design a special capsule for it using cellular properties. The beauty of this dispensing capsule is it does not work on just any organism. The capsule's semi-permeable membranes are designed to allow for the absorption of the serum _only if_ it detects a weakened or needy immune system. It knows if an organism is in need of healing and it allows for that transfer to occur instantaneously. In a matter of hours, a creature's enzymes are multiplied exponentially."

"That is extraordinary. It's the ultimate immune system."

"Yes, and as I mentioned before, it could be extremely dangerous if it falls in the wrong hands. If these drug traffickers, or any terrorists for that matter, get a hold of what we've discovered, they could use it to their advantage. They'd be almost unstoppable."

"Well, according to what you've told me, we don't know that for sure yet. Is this exponential enzymatic growth continual, or does it taper off eventually?"

"We're not really sure. I assume it hits some sort of threshold. Otherwise, the organism wouldn't be able to survive. It would almost be like a _cancer_."

Kristin nodded in understanding. "Do you have any samples here we can look at?"

Dr. Reese shook his head. "No, I've hidden what little serum we have left in one of the caves on the reef. I didn't want it to be found if Diaz and his men showed up."

"You wouldn't have happened to put it inside a metal chest, would you?"

Reese stared at her with wide eyes. "Don't tell me you found it."

"I suppose I did. We were simply scuba diving."

"Have you opened it? Did you directly touch the orb?" Dr. Reese seemed in a panic.

"I…well…yes, I rolled it around my hand when we first found it and later on the orb had changed color from blue to pink."

"Did you have any wounds or a weakened immune system?"

"Well, I did have a gash on my hand yesterday…which…was gone…this morning…" She slowly stopped talking as she lifted her healed and younger looking hand, and they both realized what had happened.

"Tell me, doctor…have you noticed anything else…_different_ about yourself?"

Kristin looked at him in disbelief. She didn't have a chance to respond to Dr. Reese's question as the opposite door swung violently open and several armed men came racing in, pointing their weapons. She and Dr. Reese raised their hands in shock and stood up from their chairs. Immediately, four men stepped forward and grabbed each of them. One man with salt and peppered curly hair and a mustache wearing a grey suit stepped forward from the group and looked at them.

"Well, Sean, you disappoint me. It seems you've made new friends since we were here last. I wasn't aware you were throwing a party. Who are your new guests?" He smiled evilly at Kristin, who struggled to break free from the two men holding her arms. Dr. Reese didn't say anything. She knew this must be Alfredo Diaz. He stepped a little closer to her and noticed the badge on her uniform.

"Oh, so you got the _seaQuest _to stop by. Very impressive, Sean. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Alfredo Diaz." He reached for her hand and kissed the top part of it gently, staring at her the whole time. Then he handed it back to the mercenary who held her. "And you are?"

Kristin looked down at the floor, unwilling to answer. Diaz grabbed her roughly by her chin, forcing her to look at him. The man holding her reinforced his grip, making her more uncomfortable. "Now, now, my sweet. Where are your manners? You answer me, or I will not hesitate to destroy you and your new friend. What's your name?" he spoke forcefully.

Kristin released a sigh as she reluctantly gave in. "My name is Dr. Kristin Westphalen."

Diaz smiled as he let her go. "That wasn't so hard. Now that we have those formalities out of the way, Dr. Reese, why don't you hand over some of your latest work and we'll be on our way."

Reese responded. "I don't have any more of the serum. It's all been used. And we don't yet know how it works."

"I hope, for your sake, that's not true. I'm sure you can make more of it. Oh, by the way, my men are taking good care of your little Jeremy." He smiled evilly. "Make sure you have everything you need to finish your work in a timely manner. I'll come back soon to collect my next shipment. In the meantime, we've already collected a few of our crops. It's a pleasure doing business with you, as always."

Diaz looked back at Kristin.

"Now, dear Kristin, why don't we let your friends know who's in charge here so we can leave, shall we?"

**Back on the_ seaQuest_ bridge…**

Captain Nathan Bridger stood in the middle of the cockpit, staring at Lt. O'Neill.

"O'Neill, what can you show us?"

"I've got full access to the security cameras on the Terra Guardi colony."

"Put it on the forward screen. I want to know every detail of what's going on."

"Aye, Cap."

He punched a few buttons and, suddenly, the main screen was alive with several security camera shots from around the complex. Some of them were devoid of people and just showed lab benches, plant fields, a cafeteria, and living quarters. One of the cameras showed a room full of people in a laboratory huddled together. He noticed his people tending to the colonists and scientists. Another camera showed Kristin and the man who had originally contacted the_ seaQuest_ being held by men he suspected were part of Diaz's group. And the guy speaking with them looked like it was Diaz himself.

"Damn!" He reached for his PAL unit. "Jonathan, you've got company next door. I think this is our man, Diaz."

No sooner did he speak those words than the doors to the room where most of the colonists and _seaQuest_ crew were opened, and the large group of men came in holding up their weapons. Crocker and his security team took an equally threatening stance. Then, a man with grey hair walked in, followed by the men holding both Kristin and Reese.

The entire bridge watched helplessly at the main screen as O'Neill centered that camera view.

**Back at Terra Guardi…**

"Now, now, gentlemen. Can't we settle this peacefully?" Diaz spoke condescendingly, but then became serious as he grabbed Kristin, holding her close to him with one arm around her neck while he held up a gun aimed at her right side. "Put down your weapons. You don't want your lovely lady friend to get hurt, do you?"

Commander Ford assessed the situation and looked at Chief Crocker. "Do as he says, Chief." Crocker looked at his men and gave a nod; they dropped their weapons in response.

Diaz spoke up again. "Good. Now that we have that settled, I'm going to have to ask that you and your security team move to the corner over there. Now." He aimed a gun at the far corner of the room.

Ford and his men complied as he spoke up, "What do you want, Mr. Diaz?"

"Oh, I see you know who I am. Well, it's very simple. You see, my friend, Sean, and I had an…_understanding_…and he failed to hold up his end of the bargain. I am merely letting him know not to cross me again. I just came by to remind him of this. And now you will let me and my men leave quietly."

Dr. Reese spoke up as he struggled with the men holding him. "You won't get away with this, Alfredo."

"Oh, rest assured, Sean. I will. As for you, walk on over with the rest of your new friends." Diaz aimed his gun at Reese, as the man holding him let him go and he reluctantly walked over to join the rest of the crew.

"Good. Now, if you'll excuse us, gentlemen, we need to be going. But it was lovely meeting you. Franco, take the men back to the launch."

His men started making their way to the exit doors towards the launch. Diaz and a few of the men still holding Dr. Reese slowly made their way to the door, watching the _seaQuest _crew in the corner. Kristin was dragged by Diaz, looking at Jonathan, knowing they couldn't let Diaz get away. In a move that surprised everyone, even herself, she suddenly twisted out of Diaz' grasp with almost superhuman strength and punched him in the face, forcing him to drop his gun. She quickly picked it up, but before she could aim it at Diaz, one of his men quickly shot her in the side. She fell to the floor, holding her side in pain as blood started trickling out of the bullet wound.


	4. Chapter 4

**Healing the Wild – Chapter 4**

Diaz recovered his gun and stared down at Kristin, who was breathing heavily and was holding her side wound. "That was _very_ stupid, my dear." He aimed the gun back at Jonathan and the gang, who were all looking at Kristin worriedly, trying to figure out a way to get to her.

"Don't you _move_! She brought it upon herself." He looked back at Kristin. "Such a waste."

On the _seaQuest _bridge, Nathan and the rest of the crew were watching the scene in horror, worried for their CMO and friend.

What happened next confused everyone, as Kristin took a deep breath and a soft light emanated from her wound. She exhaled and looked shocked as she stopped feeling any pain, and the wound appeared to close on its own. The bullet fell out of her side and into her hand. All that was left was a small stain on her jumpsuit. Diaz kneeled down next to her and felt the area where her wound was for himself. He couldn't find anything. He looked at Reese.

"Well, well, well. What have we here? Sean, something tells me you've been trying your new experiment on the lovely doctor, haven't you? You've been holding out on me."

Dr. Reese looked just as shocked as the rest of them. "I…we haven't yet tested it on humans. I'm not sure what or how…"

"Well, you'd better find out. Because if she just healed her own gunshot wound, then you can imagine my men and I are _very_ interested."

"I don't know that I can…I mean…" Reese looked flabbergasted and worried about Diaz knowing of this new finding.

Diaz grabbed Kristin and picked her back up, holding her tightly against him, his arm around her shoulders, almost in a chokehold. Kristin whimpered slightly at the motion as she was tired and dazed from her recovery, but she was still squirming in his grasp.

"I suggest you figure it out and make me some more of your little _potion_ as soon as possible…for your _son's_ sake." He turned to one of his men. "Franco, help me with her, will you? I don't want her struggling again. She's awfully feisty when she's awake." Franco nodded knowingly and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a vial and went to grab a cloth. Diaz turned towards the _seaQuest_ crew, specifically Jonathan.

"As for you, you tell Captain Bridger to back off and let us pass."

"Tell me yourself!" Nathan's voice echoed through Jonathan's PAL unit.

"Well, Bridger…so good of you to join us. I suppose you've been watching us the whole time. You hear this clearly. We'll be taking the _lady_ with us. She'll serve us very well in our line of work. Very well, indeed."

"Let me go, you bastard!" Kristin tried desperately to break free from his grasp. He smiled condescendingly. "I see we still have to work on your manners, my dear." He looked at Franco, who came over and placed the cloth over Kristin's nose and mouth. She tried moving her head out of the way, but it was no use. She was unconscious in a matter of seconds and fell limply in Diaz's hands. He picked her up easily in his arms.

"Don't you dare harm her, Diaz. Let her go!"

"Bridger, I don't think you're in any position to make demands. Tell you what… you let us go, and I won't put her through _too_ much misery. I'll also leave your crewmembers and the rest of the colonists in one piece We'll return her when my friend, Sean, hands me what I want. It's a simple business deal. If the UEO hears about this, or if you so much as come _near_ us, you'll never see her again…at least not _alive_ anyway."

With that, Diaz and his men walked back to their launch. Two of the men stayed behind with their weapons at the ready to make sure they weren't being followed and then promptly ran to the launch.

**Back on the _seaQuest_ bridge…**

Nathan stared blankly at the scene, unable to really grasp what just happened. Kristin had been shot…he saw it for himself. But she was fine in an instant. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he suspected the orb must have had something to do with it. If his deductions were correct, Dr. Reese would probably have a few answers…at least he hoped so. He felt helpless at the moment, seeing his CMO being drugged and taken away. Who knows what they'll do to her…or what they'll have her _do_? He couldn't think about that right now.

Ortiz finally spoke up, interrupting his thoughts, "Captain, the launch is undocking. What should we do?"

Nathan sighed. "Let them go, Mr. Ortiz. Let them go." He sounded dejected. The whole crew watched helplessly as the launch disappeared out of sight, carrying their friend with it.

**Back on Terra Guardi…**

Reese looked at Jonathan and the others. Before he could say anything, Jonathan's PAL unit buzzed, and he answered, "Sir?"

"Jonathan, is everyone alright over there?"

"All things considered, I think everybody is fine. Sir…I…I'm sorry…about Dr…"

Nathan cut him off before he could finish, not wanting to hear her name, "Jonathan, you did what you had to do. There was nothing any of us could do to stop this. Now, please, invite Dr. Reese on board as a guest and make sure he brings any necessary research notes he has on whatever this thing is. We need to know what's going on in order to get her back and to make sure we stop this Diaz character once and for all."

"Yes, Sir." He shut off his PAL.

Reese looked at Jonathan knowingly. "I am sorry about your doctor. I will gather my notes and will come with you."

"It's alright, Dr. Reese. We will get her back…and we'll get your son back, too. And Diaz will be brought to justice. If there is one thing I know, it's that Captain Bridger will not allow this to continue."

"Thank you, Mr. Ford."

"Now, let's get your things and make it back to _seaQuest_."

**Back on the _seaQuest_…**

The launch arrived in the docking bay, and Nathan was right there to greet Dr. Reese and the rest of his crew.

"Dr. Reese, Captain Nathan Bridger. Welcome aboard the _seaQuest_."

"Thank you, Captain. I only wish I were here under more favorable circumstances."

"Well, there's a lot we need to catch up on. I trust you can explain your experiment to myself and one of our junior scientists who was involved with Dr. Westphalen in our own initial experiments with your little orb."

"Yes, of course, captain. Do you still have the orb?"

"Well, my understanding is that it is still in Dr. Westphalen's room. I can go get it and meet you on Sea Deck."

"Yes, that would be helpful. But whatever you do, do not handle the orb with your bare hands."

_If only Kristin had that warning_, Nathan thought worriedly.

"Of course. Mr. O'Neill, here, will show you to your cabin, and we will have your equipment and supplies delivered to the laboratory on Sea Deck. Please, if there is anything you need, just ask for Mr. Krieg, our supply and morale officer."

"I appreciate it. I will see you there, Captain."

Nathan proceeded to go to Kristin's room. He felt guilty going into crew quarters without their consent, but this was a crisis situation. Still, he felt uncomfortable and looked around for anyone walking by before he walked inside. It was just as he had left it the night before. He knew she was keeping the orb in her nightstand and immediately saw it sitting right next to the metal box near the bed. He used the velvet fabric to wrap and return the orb inside the box, careful not to touch it with his bare hands. As he walked back to the door, he noticed the room smelled of her; a smell he had gotten more and more accustomed and drawn to over the last few months.

He looked at a picture of her with Darwin and Lucas that she had on a shelf near the doorway and muttered to himself, "If anything happens to you, I'll never forgive myself." He stared at the photo for a few lingering seconds, then turned off the light and left to go find Dr. Reese.

**Somewhere deep in a Colombian jungle…**

Kristin's eyes fluttered as she slowly woke up and registered the sunlight creeping in the room. She quickly sat up as she vaguely remembered what happened. She looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. She was on a cloth-covered couch in a rather large, ornately decorated room with white marble flooring and high ceilings. There were two large balcony windows on the side, with curtains drawn open allowing plenty of sun and exhibiting views overlooking mountainous jungles. At the other end of the room was a large king-sized canopy bed. She saw Diaz sitting at the edge of the bed staring at her. He got up as he noticed her movements.

"Hello, Dr. Westphalen. I trust you slept well?"

"Where am I?" Kristin didn't want to waste any time.

"You are a guest at my humble home in Colombia." 

"Why have you brought me here? What do you want?"

"Oh, I think you know very well that you seem to have something…_special_…about you that is supposed to be mine. It's a shame Dr. Reese was so quick to share it with you before he shared it with me."

"It was an accident. He had no idea I got hold of the serum. He hadn't tested it on humans before."

"I don't care about the details. All I know is, he is currently working on making more for me. And until then, you are going to help me."

"Help you? How and why would you expect me to do that?" She had her suspicions, considering this man was a wanted drug lord.

"Well, it's very simple. You go with my men and make several exchanges. Your immunities will come in handy. Besides, none of my competitors or clients would ever suspect a _woman_ in these deals."

"And if I refuse?"

Diaz chuckled lightly. "Oh, my dear…I highly suggest you oblige. I know many influential people, Kristin. Do you want to be the one to tell Dr. Reese that his son, Jeremy, was brutally murdered because of _you_? Or how about your own family? Don't think for a second I haven't already looked into your daughter…_Cynthia_."

Kristin tried to hold back her obvious fear. "No…please…don't hurt them."

"I assure you they will remain unharmed…_if_ you cooperate."

Kristin looked down at her hands, knowing she was defeated and nodded.

"Good. Now, I assume you must be hungry. This will be your room for the remainder of your stay. I couldn't have you ruining my bed with your blood-soaked clothing. I have taken the liberty of having my maids pick up a few things for you. There are toiletries in the bathroom. Please have a shower or a bath and change into something a little more suitable for this climate. I would like to show you around and introduce you to the men you will be working with." He walked towards the door. "Just so you know, we are in the deepest parts of the jungle. I have guards posted everywhere in my villa…even if you got past their gunshots due to your miraculous abilities, you'd be ripped apart by a panther or an alligator before you even made it to the nearest town. I _doub_t your healing powers can save you when you've been eaten. I suggest you stay here and don't try anything funny. If you need anything, ask for one of the maids. I'll come back to check on you in 45 minutes."

He smiled and closed the door behind him, leaving Kristin to process what just happened. Might as well make the most of it, she thought. She slowly walked towards the lavish bathroom. As she showered, she examined the area where she was shot…there was nothing but a small bruise that was quickly fading. After her shower, she dried her hair, leaving it loose, and walked towards the closet. There were some pretty scandalous outfits, but she managed to find a nice green sundress that was less revealing and she was grateful for some new undergarments and comfortable shoes. There was makeup in the drawers and she freshened up before heading back to the room to look around…not much to see. She walked back out to the balcony and stared out into the jungle, trying to make sense of the last 24 hours, hoping the SeaQuest would come take her away from here.


	5. Chapter 5

**At Diaz' villa…**

"You clean up rather nicely, doctor. Very nice, indeed"

Kristin quickly turned around at the sound of his voice, trying to hold back her fear and repulsion as his eyes roamed over her. He held out his hand and smiled.

"Come. Let's get you something to eat."

They sat in the middle patio area of the large mansion, surrounded by a few ornate fountains and a beautiful garden. Several maids came back and forth and served them their meal. It would be a very beautiful and peaceful setting if it were under different circumstances.

"So do you understand what you are to do tonight?"

"I suppose I don't have a choice…though I can't say I'm looking forward to it."

"Well, this business is not for everyone…certainly not for a lady such as yourself." He smiled appreciatively. "But you must understand that I needed to give your friends a reason to stay away…and your abilities are of great interest…you seem to have been selected as the perfect candidate for me."

Kristin paused for a moment before she asked her question, looking down at her plate of rice. "You don't intend to let me go if Dr. Reese does give you the serum, do you?"

He looked intently at her. "You are a smart woman, Dr. Westphalen. You realize I cannot make any decisions until I know for certain I have ensured my own protection." He paused as he thought for a moment and smiled calmly. "Just do as I say, and I will make sure your stay here is as comfortable as possible."

Kristin nodded, knowing full well there was very little chance she was getting out of this place alive.

**Back on the _Seaquest_…**

Nathan got to Sea Deck as quickly as he could. Dr. Reese was still not there, but he noticed Lucas sitting on a stool near the moon pool, looking depressed. He went to his side.

"You doing alright, Lucas?"

He looked up at Nathan, a sad look in his eye. "Captain, that man…he has the Doc. I…I know what he's capable of. I found his records, like you asked. He's wanted for drug smuggling, kidnapping…even murder." He let out a deep sigh. "He's killed women and children before…I just can't stop thinking that he's got control of her now…and that we can't do anything."

Nathan quickly sensed Lucas was about to lose it and enveloped him in a hug, rubbing his back gently. "We'll get her back, Lucas. Don't you worry about that. But right now, she needs you."

Lucas looked up, confused. "What can I possibly do to help?"

Nathan placed his hands on Lucas' shoulders and stretched them to face each other at arms length.

"Whatever this _potion_ is that you and Kristin were researching, Dr. Reese started it. And he's going to need some help figuring out some of the results. You're the only one aboard this boat besides Dr. Reese and Kristin who knows anything about this. This guy, Diaz, wants to use this as a means of furthering his own business prospects and he's not going to hand Dr. Westphalen over until he gets it. So, you are the best chance Kristin has got of getting out of there…and she needs you to be strong…_I_ need you to be strong. You got that?"

Lucas nodded. "Yeah…I can do that." He smiled weakly. "I'll go grab our data."

Nathan patted his back assuredly before letting him go with a smile. "Thank you."

As Lucas went off to get his notes, Nathan saw Dr. Reese walking through the door.

"Captain. Thank you for arranging for my equipment to be transferred." He paused for a moment. "I am terribly sorry about your CMO."

"There is nothing that can be done about what's happened. I'm not sure I understand what's happened to Kristin. I leave that to you and What I do want to know is your history with these people. I had Lucas look into his record. Not exactly a squeaky clean business man to be dealing with."

Reese nodded in defeat and the two sat down as Reese proceeded to tell Nathan everything about why they got involved and about his son, Jeremy. At that moment, Lucas walked in with his notebook.

"Hey, Cap. I've got the notes."

Nathan got up and introduced Lucas to Dr. Reese.

"So this is the j_unior_ scientist you told me about? He's about the same age as my son, Jeremy." Reese looked skeptically at Lucas.

Lucas seemed to take offense at the term "junior," which Nathan found slightly amusing. "Dr. Reese, I assure you, Lucas is one of the brightest minds we've got. He may look young, but this young man is quite the impressive college graduate. He was working with Dr. Westphalen under top secret orders to try and uncover what was going on. He knows more about this than anyone else in my crew."

Lucas tried to hide his smile, glad that his captain had his back. "Dr. Reese, it would be my pleasure to share what we found in relation to your orb. In fact, I've got some live samples hidden in one of the lab rooms. I just hope I can be of help in getting the Doc back."

Nathan smiled at Lucas, proud he was being as mature and supportive as he could. It was true, Kristin's chances of making through this was in their hands. "I'll leave you two to figure out what you're dealing with. Remember, keep this top secret and use whatever materials you need…let Krieg know if there is anything we don't have. Just be sure to keep me informed of any updates. I'm going to see if we can find out where this guy is hiding and how to get closer."

"Yes, sir." Lucas watched the Captain walk away and turned his attention back to Reese as they got to work in trying to recreate the serum.

**Back at Diaz' villa…**

Diaz led Kristin down a corridor and inside one of the rooms. Several men were sitting around a few couches, munching on chips and laughing in Spanish. All conversation stopped when Kristin and Diaz walked in.

"_Mijos, aqui tengo la mujer que nos va a ayudar esta noche." _

Kristin's Spanish was a little rusty, but she heard the words "woman," "help" and "tonight."

The men stared her down, which left her uncomfortably vulnerable.

One of the men, Eduardo, spoke up, mostly for the other men to hear.

"_Ella me puede ayudar a mí cualquiera noche con ese cuerpo." _

Several men started laughing and gave each other high fives. By hearing the word "body" and "night" along with their laughter, she could guess as to what they were saying and shuddered. Thankfully, Diaz spoke up, this time in English.

"Now, men. This one is not like the other women I have brought you. She has very…_special_…qualities about her. I don't want _any_ of you messing with her. She is to be the distraction while you boys make the switch."

Another guy, Manuel, responded. "So what's so different about this _bicha_ that we can't have a little fun?"

"Manuel, I will not have any of you touching her, is that understood?" Diaz sounded serious. The men looked at each other, disappointed, while Diaz continued. "Besides…if anyone is to have a little fun with her, it will be me." He raised his eyebrows almost playfully with a smile, which got several giggles and nods of approval from his men. Kristin just cradled her arms against herself tightly, wishing this was all just a nightmare.

**A/N: Sorry it's been a while since I've updated. Life crept up again just as I was feeling a writing streak. Darkin520, CF Vici, and chaos56, I tend to sneak in a chapter of your brilliant fics here and there during work on my phone, which keeps me sane. I apologize I have not been as good at reviewing. I'm working on catching up. In the meantime, I appreciate everyone's comments and reviews. Thanks for hanging in there! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Healing the Wild – Chapter 6**

**On the SeaQuest…**

Nathan tried clearing his mind while he made his way to his room. He quickly dialed a number on the vidlink. His friend, Bill Noyce, appeared on the other line.

"Well, Nathan… to what do I owe the pleasure of a call from you?"

"I'm afraid this isn't a happy call, Bill."

Noyce instantly recognized his friend's stressed out look and changed his tone.

"What's wrong, Nathan?"

"Bill, we received an emergency call from the Terra Guardi colony. They were dealing with some drug traffickers. I sent my team to go help and…well, Alfredo Diaz and his gang intercepted."

"Alfredo Diaz…I've heard that name before, but there are quite a few drug traffickers in that area. Did you detain him?"

Nathan looked down and let out a deep sigh he didn't realize he was holding in.

"Bill, they took Dr. Westphalen hostage so they could escape."

Noyce looked stunned for a moment as he processed what his friend just told him.

"I see. And the rest of the crew?"

"The rest of the crew is fine. I've picked up one of the colony members who has something Diaz wants. I've got Lucas working with him right now in the lab. Apparently, Diaz also kidnapped the man's son as a means of maintaining cooperation."

"Well, Nathan. I can get several UEO agents to assist. We'll put everyone on high alert." 

"That's just it, Bill. We need to keep this on the down low. Diaz said if he even suspects the UEO is on his back, he's going to kill her. That's why we've got to do this alone. I'm only telling you this because I wanted you to know that I plan on foregoing our current mission to take care of this. And I also need you to help me ward off any unwanted attention."

"I'll do what I can, but Nathan…you don't plan on confronting this man alone, do you?"

"Bill, I don't really seem to have a choice. He said once he receives the package from us, he will let Kristin go. But I am not inclined to believe the promises of a manipulative drug lord. I have to be prepared to get her myself."

"Fair enough. But at the very least, I would expect you to have some people on the ground to help. This man has very powerful influences all across the country…and all of South America for that matter. There's no telling where he will go or what he will do. Let me alert our allies in Colombia on the matter. That way you'll have some leverage. They've been tracking this guy for a while. I'll be sure your upcoming missions are taken care of and you can have at least a few days off for this. No one will know why."

Nathan nodded, knowing that he could use a little bit of leverage. "Just promise me there won't be a big stink about this…no media. If anything gets out and they know the UEO is after them, it could be the last we see of Kristin…and I would not be able to live with myself if that happened. So make it your priority to prevent that."

Noyce could tell his friend was worried. "Nathan, you have my word. I know how much she means to you…" Noyce said knowingly.

Nathan looked at him quizzically. "What are you talking about?" Being confronted about his feelings was the last thing he needed. "She is a member of my crew and I am responsible for her safety."

Noyce let out a small smile, not wanting to put his friend on the spot in a tough situation. "Look, I know Dr. Westphalen is one hell of a woman and she is needed on the SeaQuest. You and I both know she is strong enough to get through this."

"That she is."

"Just hang in there." 

Nathan pulled his PAL unit and pressed a button.

"Commander Ford."

Jonathan Ford answered on the other line. "Yes, captain?"

"I want you to set a course for the shores of Colombia. We have a drug lord to catch."

"Aye, captain."

Noyce nodded at him. "We'll get her back."

Nathan responded. "In the meantime, I fully expect you to keep this under wraps as much as possible. Only tell those you need to and make sure they are aware of the consequences. There's too much at stake."

**Back at Diaz' estate…**

Diaz and Kristin were sitting at a table with 3 other men in full conversation.

"So, my dear…do you understand what you need to do?"

Kristin sounded unsure, but mostly because she didn't like the idea of participating in a drug deal.

"I suppose so."

"Good. Because you do know that your dear Cynthia's life depends on your cooperation." Diaz smiled, knowingly. He continued. "Let's get ready for our next mark. Remember, we get the money no matter what."

**Somewhere in the town of Barranquilla…**

That night, Kristin stood at a street corner, waiting on her cue. The dress Diaz told her to wear was very tight and low cut, and he made her put on more makeup than she was normally comfortable with…she felt very vulnerable and scared, but managed to keep it together for the sake of knowing Cynthia would remain safe.

She looked around and noticed the man in the grey suit from the picture Diaz showed her. He was carrying a briefcase and walked into the hotel across the street as expected. She took a deep breath and walked behind him, following him towards a table at the bar where he met with another, shorter man. She asked the bartender for a glass of wine and walked over to join them.

"Hi there."

The men, in their late forties, looked up at her appreciatively. She smiled back.

"I don't suppose you'd mind if I have a seat with you handsome gentlemen."

The taller man, Jorge, hesitated for a moment, at a loss for words. "Uh…sure."

Kristin sat down and took a sip. "I do appreciate it. I don't really know anyone here and I would so enjoy some company." She smiled seductively.

"Well, we are happy to keep you company, miss…" Jorge waited on her to finish her name.

"Just call me Crystal."

"Crystal. You certainly don't seem like the type who would be alone on any given night."

"Oh, somehow I always manage to find someone to keep me warm." She raised an eyebrow at them.

The men looked intrigued. Xavier, the short man, replied. "Well, we would love to be that someone, but we have business to take care of."

Jorge looked annoyed at his partner and ignored his comment. "How much?"

Xavier looked shocked at Jorge. "Are you crazy? We don't have time for this. The boss will be very unhappy."

Kristin responded. "Oh, please, gentlemen. I'm sure we can work some sort of agreement. I can make it quick and worthwhile for both of you."

Xavier raised his eyebrow, considering the proposition.

"How about $500 for both?"

"Done. I'm in Room 248. Meet me there." She smiled, putting down her glass and winking at them while she walked away to the elevator.

The men smiled at each other, knowingly. Xavier spoke first. "The boss will kill us."

"Oh come on, Xavier…live a little. When do we ever get a chance to enjoy ourselves? Besides, we have time. He picked up a remote unit and pressed the button. "Guys, standby. Dropoff due in one hour. No sign of Diaz's men yet." "Roger that." Came the voice on the other end. Jorge looked back at Xavier. "See? No one will know the difference. It's not like we're going to pay her." He said knowingly.

"Fine. She does look like a tasty piece of ass."

"Let's go."

The men walked towards the room with the briefcase and knocked. Kristin took a deep breath and answered the door.

"Come on in gentlemen. Let me just freshen up real quick and we can get down to business."

Jorge spoke up. "Let's not waste any more time, little lady." He pulled out a gun and held it to her stomach while he proceeded to kiss her on the lips. He forced her to start walking back towards the bed. Xavier put down the briefcase and started taking off his belt. Kristin was scared, now pinned to the bed, with Jorge kissing and sucking on her neck vigorously while groping her breasts. He had the gun in his hand, ready to shoot. She forced herself to stay calm, but was squirming on the inside. Just as Xavier was about to finish taking his pants off, three men stormed into the room with guns raised. A few shots quietly rang and all Kristin could feel was the weight of Jorge's body fall on top of her and a sharp pain on her thigh. She screamed in pain and quickly pushed him off of her, trying to compose herself. She sat up and looked at her thigh, which had been shot by Jorge's gun. Blood started trickling out of the wound. A white light quickly shone and the wound healed itself, leaving behind a fading bruise. Kristin breathed heavily, tired and confused as her body recovered from a gunshot for the second time. The men who stormed in stared at her in disbelief. One of them snapped out of it, reached for the briefcase and quickly opened up the contents.

"It's all here." He nodded at the other men. One of the men walked over to Kristin.

"Lady, I don't know what the hell just happened, but you did well. Señor Diaz will be pleased with you." Kristin didn't answer and avoided making eye contact.

"Now come. Let's go before anyone else shows up."

She got up slowly, her mind completely detached from the situation, as the men put their guns away and quietly but quickly led her out of the room and down the stairs to the entrance. Alfredo Diaz was waiting for them in a limousine outside and they hopped in. The three men sat at the front of the limo, while Kristin was led to sit in the back, next to Alfredo. He addressed the men.

"I assume everything went according to plan."

One of the men responded. "Yes, sir. The lady did what you asked. Um…Señor, she was shot in the thigh and…um…well…"

Alfredo smiled at his men and turned to Kristin's thigh, which had a visible, but faded bruise. "I see you've found out exactly why I recruited her. She is very valuable to us."

Kristin had been staring out the window trying to make sense of what happened. She had just taken part in a twisted drug deal, assisted in the murder of two men, gotten shot and healed herself…again. The whole situation made her feel sick. Diaz knocked her out of her distraction.

"So, dear Doctor, it appears you make for quite the little actress." He struck an impressed, yet somewhat condescending tone. "I didn't think you had it in you. And of course, your healing powers have come in handy." He reached out and softly touched the bruise on her leg.

Kristin quickly shifted her leg out from under his hand and kept quiet, still avoiding eye contact and feeling a chill in the air-conditioned limo. She wrapped her arms around herself in a huddle, a single tear escaping her left eye. Diaz noticed and took off his jacket. He placed it around her shoulders.

"Here. You look like you could use this."

Kristin quickly brushed off the jacket, disgusted. "Don't touch me. I'd rather freeze."

The men in the front laughed. Diaz waved at them to be quiet and turned back to Kristin.. "You really are a feisty one. Come now, don't be silly…you have goosebumps." He readjusted the jacket on her shoulders and she stared at him for a moment before wrapping it tightly around her, not wanting to admit that she needed the added warmth. She turned her gaze back out the window, not wanting to give them any more pleasure as they drove in the night.

**A/N: Sorry it's been so long. A lot has happened in real life recently, namely the birth of my first son. So, as you can imagine, my hours are a little messed up as I get used to taking care of a new baby. **** But I have not forgotten about my stories and will continue to update as soon as I can/find time. Thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoy! Please feel free to review. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Healing the Wild – Chapter 7**

**In the Captain's Quarters…**

Nathan was in his room, staring at a map of Colombia, wondering just how he and his crew were going to pull this off. His PAL unit beeped. It was O'Neill.

"What's going on, O'Neill?"

"Sir, I'm receiving a message from the chief of police in Cartagena. He wants to speak with you."

"Put it on in my cabin."

"Yes, sir."

His vid screen came on and an older man with dark skin wearing a police uniform greeted the captain on the other side.

"Captain Bridger. My name is Chief Luis Fernando Rodriguez. I understand your ship is headed towards our shores."

"Hello, Chief. Just how much were you told?"

"Enough to know that one of your crewmembers was taken hostage by Alfredo Diaz. Our squads have been trying to capture him for a while now. He is certainly not good for tourism."

"Well, I'd appreciate your help in this matter, but you do know the threat I received about involving police or the UEO."

"Yes, your admiral Noyce made it quite clear. Not to worry, nothing will be shared about your involvement. We have made several attempts at arresting Diaz in the past but it is increasingly hard to identify who is making the drops. It's always someone different. Diaz is a smart man. He never attends these deals himself, as he has plenty of men to do it for him."

"Well, now he's using my female crewmember to help as well."

Rodriguez nodded, knowingly and paused before continuing.

"If she is, indeed, helping him, it may give us an edge in identifying who is involved. Could you send us a picture of her?"

Nathan nodded. "I'll have my people send you a picture immediately. Just…if she is involved, please…whatever you do, make sure she remains safe."

"Absolutely, Captain. When will you be arriving?"

"We should be in your area in a few hours."

"I shall have a contingent meet you at the dock."

"We'll be in touch. And Mr. Rodriguez… thank you for your assistance."

"Believe me, Captain, we thank you as well. It is in both our interests that this goes smoothly. I don't know how much longer our people can handle the increasing amount of violence."

"We'll do what we can. I'll turn you back over to Mr. O'Neill to handle the image transfers."

"Thank you."

He pressed a button on the vidphone panel which forwarded the video call to O'Neill.

Nathan reached for the Comm Unit on his desk. "O'Neill, send Mr. Rodriguez some recent photos of Dr. Westphalen from her files. Make sure he gets what he needs."

O'Neill chimed on the other end. "Aye, Cap."

**Back in Diaz' estate…**

After a couple of hours of driving, Kristin got out of the limo as quickly as she could, hating the looks she got from some of Diaz' men throughout the ride. Some of them mumbled to each other in Spanish and it was clear they were talking about how she healed herself and about how tight her dress was. Diaz stepped out after her and spoke up.

"Dr. Westphalen, I suppose you must be hungry after that little adventure."

She avoided his gaze. "I've lost my appetite."

"Well, perhaps you'd like to join us for a celebratory drink in the courtyard? You did very well for us tonight. I would like to somehow make it up to you. Despite what you may have heard, I am not all bad."

She raised her head and looked right at him, unflinching. "I would like to be left alone for the night. I really need to get some rest."

Diaz contemplated for a second before responding.

"Yes, of course. You may retreat to your room. Besides, you should take off that dress so we can get rid of the evidence."

Manuel piped up at that moment. "I'd be happy to take it off." The other men giggled as he gave one of his friends a high-five.

Kristin looked down, trying to ignore the comment and dirty looks, and noticed a big stain of blood on the front and hem…probably from Jorge's gun shot wound…or maybe her own…or both. She felt sick as she started walking towards the direction of her room. She heard Diaz calling behind her.

"I hope you sleep well tonight, my dear. I have another job for you tomorrow. I'll send one of my men to come get you in the morning."

She paused for a second before continuing her walk. She was grateful her back was to Diaz and his men as she was able to hide the few tears ran down her cheeks. She was overwhelmed, exhausted and feeling absolutely helpless, but she had to be strong. She tried to enjoy the hot shower, but it did little to comfort her. At least she was clean. She dried her hair and put on a nightgown, feeling as though she really needed to sleep. She was also fighting off waves of nausea and had a very nasty headache. As she made her way to the bed, she heard a knock at the door. Putting a robe over her nightgown, she answered it to see Diaz, accompanied by two of his armed men.

"I wanted to make sure we picked up that dress. My men will dispose of it properly."

Kristin nodded and went to grab the dress, handing it to him and avoiding eye contact without saying a word. He smiled at her.

"I know this is quite a shocking lifestyle change for you Ms. Westphalen. I don't expect you to warm up to me so quickly." He reached out a hand to cup her cheek and forced her to look at him. "But I do hope you realize it would make it so much easier on you if you just accept that this is your life now…and embrace it. I'll take it easy on you since this was your first…how shall I say, _assignment_. Next time, I expect you join us afterwards. I'm sure Cynthia and Jeremy would appreciate it as well. You do understand, don't you?"

Kristin nodded as best she could with her chin in his hand, relieved when he let her go.

"Good. Oh, I took the liberty of bringing you something to eat, since I know you are probably hungry after these exertions, despite what you said earlier." He nodded to the side and one of the men produced a sandwich, which she reluctantly took.

"You are a very valuable asset to me. I can't very well have you starving to death, can I? Have a good night, doctor."

With that, he and his men walked off. In the distance she could hear some of Diaz' men celebrating. Kristin just closed the door, and sat down on the bed. She took a few bites of the sandwich, which helped her grumbling stomach, but she was still feeling too tired to concentrate. She put the rest of the food aside and went to bed, trying to think of a way to escape, but knowing it was useless in her position. What gave her hope was knowing that the _SeaQuest_ was currently doing everything in its power to help her. With that thought, she quickly drifted off to much-needed sleep.

**Back on the SeaQuest bridge…**

Nathan was deep in thought when O'Neill spoke up.

"Captain, sorry to bother, but we just received another call from Chief Rodriguez in Cartagena. He says it's fairly urgent."

"Put him through on the main screen."

The now familiar face of Chief Rodriguez came into view.

"Captain, I must inform you we have received word that there was a violent drug deal in Barranquilla just a few hours ago. Two men who were allegedly making a trade were found shot to death in a hotel room. I had my men scan the hotel surveillance cameras. They were able to see the men speaking with a woman in the hotel lobby. I'm afraid it was your Dr. Westphalen."

He pressed a button on the keyboard and a photo came up showing a surveillance shot of Kristin dressed provocatively, smiling and drinking wine with two men at a hotel bar. Nathan's eyes opened wide, the image frozen in his mind. He sat down slowly at his desk in disbelief. He honestly couldn't believe his CMO was being forced to help in drug dealing. No doubt Diaz was threatening to hurt someone in her family or anyone else. But there she was in front of him in a tantalizingly tight dress. He wanted nothing more than to see her in a lab coat working on one of her projects in the safety of the science labs on SeaQuest.

"Yes. That's her."

"I'm afraid she was a pawn in Mr. Diaz' work, as we suspected."

The word "_was_" stuck out at Nathan, leaving an awful taste. He hesitated to get out the next words, fearing the Chief had ominous news. "Is she still alive?"

Rodriguez paused, looking upset and taking off his hat. "They found some blood in the room that did not belong to either of the two men. We believe it might be hers. I am sorry, Captain. We don't know exactly what happened to her yet, but we are fairly certain she was shot. And Mr. Diaz does not just waltz into our hospitals for the wounded. We assume that she…"

Bridger cut him off before he could finish his sentence. "Now, Mr. Rodriguez, I will NOT have you making too many assumptions about the fate of my crewmember. Unless you have concrete evidence I refuse to believe anything happened to her."

"My apologies, Captain. I do not mean to jump to conclusions…I merely wanted to let you know what we found…and I thought it would be wise not to get your hopes up." Rodriguez nodded, placing his hat back on. "I will let you know if we have any more leads."

"Thank you. We should be there shortly."

"I'll meet you at the dock personally."

Nathan hung up the call and immediately sank down in his chair with a heavy sigh. She HAD to be alive. Even if she was shot, surely she would have healed herself, right? Given the events of the last few hours, nothing seemed impossible now. He noticed the worried looks on his crew. They were all visibly worried.

"Everyone, we have no reason to believe Doctor Westphalen is not okay. We have to operate under the assumption that we have a rescue mission on our hands. Do not let this distract you. Is that clear?"

He saw a few of them nod, though he knew it still didn't calm their fears. "Commander Ford, what's our ETA?"

"We should be close enough to send a launch in 15 minutes, Captain."

"You're in charge while I'm gone."

Ford nodded and watched as his captain headed towards launch bay.

**Back in the SeaQuest lab…**

Lucas was writing down numbers in the notebook when he noticed a pattern emerging.

"Hey, Doc. According to Dr. Westphalen and my numbers from two days ago and the numbers we're seeing now, this fish has had a significant drop in enzyme activity. And I checked some of the other fish and they are all showing major drops as well. One even had enzyme levels that dropped by 85% since yesterday. That can't be normal."

At that very moment, Lucas noticed one of the small blue fish floating near the surface.

"Dr. Reese. Look!" He pointed at the fish. "That's the same fish the doc and I saw regenerate itself the other day. It wasn't looking so great earlier, but now it's just acting very sluggish."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes."

Dr. Reese grabbed a net and fished out the weak fish. It was barely able to keep itself from tilting to the side. He placed it in another, smaller tank.

"This fish looks sick."

"That's also the one that had the 85% drop."

The fish suddenly convulsed, jerking back and forth. Within seconds, it slowly started swimming normally again.

Dr. Reese looked confused. "That's incredible. Maybe they're reaching equilibrium...we need to test this one again and see if it's dropped completely."

Lucas looked puzzled for a moment. "So…doesn't that mean they're just back to normal? No more healing power?"

"I suppose so, but I don't know."

"So this serum that you created, that they were exposed to… it's just a temporary boost."

"It would appear so."

"That means…the doc." His eyes widened with fear. "How much time does she have left before the serum runs out on her, too?"

Dr. Reese shared his concerned look. "I don't know."

"We've got to tell the Captain. She's in more danger than we thought."


	8. Chapter 8

**Healing the Wild – Chapter 8**

**On the SeaQuest…**

Nathan Bridger walked through the hallways and picked up his pace as he neared the launch bay. As he was rushing down the hall, he saw a glimpse of Lucas running by heading towards the bridge.

Lucas immediately caught sight of the captain and stopped him in his tracks.

"Captain, I have to tell you something. It's about Dr. Westphalen."

"What is it, Lucas?" He could sense the fear in the boy's voice.

"Cap, Dr. Reese and I have been checking on the fish that had the serum. Turns out, it's just a temporary thing…all of them have had their enzyme levels drop by a lot."

Nathan furrowed his eyebrows. "Wait…what do you mean a lot?"

"I mean, it seems like this healing power is only temporary. It wears off. We're still trying to figure out exactly…"

Nathan cut him off before he could finish his sentence. "How long does she have?" The worry was evident in his voice.

"We don't know. These fish just had really quick drops in the last 48 hours. We need to get her out of there before she gets hurt again."

Nathan took a deep breath. Suddenly, his conversation with Chief Rodriguez came rushing at him. She's already been shot. Who knows if they're already too late? Lucas sensed his sudden panic. "Cap, what's the matter? You know something, don't you?"

Nathan couldn't hide anything from him. He was going to find out sooner or later. "Lucas, I've been informed by the chief of police in Cartagena that there was a drug deal that happened and Dr. Westphalen was involved. She lured two men to a room and Diaz' men came in and shot them."

Lucas' eyes grew wide. "No way, Captain. No way she would do it."

"Lucas, she obviously had no choice. My guess is Diaz is threatening to hurt someone else if she didn't cooperate." He took a deep breath. "Lucas, they think she was shot as well."

Lucas looked pained, but determined. "Cap…you've got to find her. You've got to find her before it's too late."

"We will, Lucas. Now stay here and work with Dr. Reese to find out more."

**In Diaz' Estate…**

Kristin woke up, surprised to have been left alone throughout the night. She still felt tired and sore all over. She walked over to the closet and picked out a teal wrap dress, entering the bathroom to shower and get ready. As she looked at herself in the mirror she noticed she was looking a bit older than she did yesterday. At least a little bit more like she did before she had the serum. _What's going on?_ She didn't have a moment to finish that thought as there was a knock on the door. She opened it and found Diaz on the other side.

"Good afternoon, _princesa._ I must say I love that dress on you."

Kristin was taken aback not just by his referring to her as a princess, but because he said afternoon.

"Afternoon?" He noticed her shock and smiled.

"You have been sleeping for quite a while. I came to see you this morning and figured you must be exhausted after last night. You were sleeping very peacefully. I could not bring myself to wake you."

Kristin looked down at the floor, avoiding eye contact as she mentally shook off the idea that this man was watching her sleep. "Thank you."

"Now, come join me for some lunch and we can discuss your next assignment."

**In the courtyard…**

Kristin sat staring at her half eaten food, pushing it around on the plate with the fork. Diaz noticed her mind was elsewhere.

"You know, I'm starting to think I quite like having you here. Last night was one of the easiest deals we've had in months. Having a woman is very beneficial. Especially one as lovely and, shall I say, _gifted_ as you." Kristin closed her eyes at the comment and put down her fork as Diaz continued. "Tell me, doctor. Is there anything else I can do to make your stay here more comfortable?"

Kristin didn't look up at him but responded defiantly. "Nothing could possibly make me feel at home here."

Diaz was amused, but became serious. "I would watch my tone if I were you, my dear. I have been more than reasonable. I could very easily make things not so pleasant for you. Now, I will ask you again. Is there anything else you need?" He paused as he watched her take a deep breath.

"No, thank you." She reluctantly spit out the words.

Diaz smiled. "That's better. Perhaps we will give the SeaQuest a call…see how Dr. Reese is doing with my potion."

Kristin looked up at him with a glimmer of hope and a little bit of worry. "Please. Would you let me talk to Captain Bridger? I want them to know I am okay."

"Oh, I fully intend for Bridger to be aware of your current state. But I don't think that's quite what I had in mind."

Kristin looked back down, trying not to give up hope but worried as to what he was implying. He got up and motioned to two of his men standing by the side. "Come. Let's go make that call." He said with a smirk as one of the men grabbed Kristin by the arm to stand her up and the other quickly tied a gag around her mouth. Kristin tried struggling, mumbling through the thick piece of fabric.

Diaz nodded and the two men dragged Kristin behind him. After a while, she gave up struggling and let herself be led to a small room. The men sat her down in a chair and tied her arms behind her and to the back of the chair. They also tied her legs to the chair legs.

Diaz smiled at her. "You must understand, I can't very well have you telling Bridger anything I don't want him to know."

With that, he pushed a button on the computer.

**Back on the SeaQuest** **bridge…**

Jonathan Ford was overseeing operations on the bridge when O'Neill spoke up.

"Sir, I've got an incoming call that's been blocked. It's from Diaz. He says he wants to talk to the captain."

Ford took a deep breath. He quickly pushed a button on his PAL unit.

**At the Launch Bay…**

Bridger was finishing up his conversation with Lucas when his PAL unit chimed.

"Bridger here."

"Captain, we've got Diaz on the line. He says he wants to talk to you."

Lucas' eyes opened wide. "Tell O'Neill to hold him for a minute. I'm on my way to meet up with Dr. Reese on SeaDeck….and tell the launch to wait."

"Yes, sir."

Nathan ran towards SeaDeck with Lucas quickly in tow. He saw Dr. Reese and motioned for him to come with him.

"Dr. Reese, we're being contacted by Diaz. I need you to be there with me."

Lucas spoke up. "Cap, I want to help, too."

Then try and track down the call. We need to find her. And tell O'Neill what you're doing. Go!" Lucas quickly ran to the nearest computer terminal. Bridger looked over to the side room, fittingly Kristin's office, and walked in with Reese. He locked the door behind them, shut the blinds, turned on the screen and reached for his PAL.

"O'Neill, patch it through to Dr. Westphalen's office. And make sure you are recording this. Maybe there's something that will help us identify where they are."

The vid screen came on and a very smug-looking Diaz came on screen.

"Well, Captain Bridger, I was expecting to speak with you immediately…I did not appreciate having to wait. Perhaps your crewmember is not so important to you after all."

Nathan cringed inwardly…_if only he knew the truth. She means more than anyone knows._

"Diaz, forgive me for making you wait while I got to a vidphone. We are deeply concerned over Dr. Westphalen. Please. Can you at least let us know she is okay?"

"Oh she is fine. I will be happy to show you. But first, Dr. Reese….how are you coming along with my serum?"

Dr. Reese cautiously spoke up. "Diaz, I can tell you we still don't know the effects of the serum. It could be very dangerous."

"I don't care about its effects. I want you to give it to me and my men!" His patience was running out. "Perhaps the life of the good doctor is not enough for you." He looked off screen and motioned to one of his men, who came in holding a young boy of about fifteen. The boy was gagged and being held as he tried to struggle.

"Jeremy! Are you all right, son?"

Diaz spoke up. "He's fine, Reese. But I'm afraid he might not be after tonight. You see, Jeremy is going to help Dr. Westphalen with the drop off."

Dr. Reese was visibly shaken. "No! Please! Don't endanger his life. I will get you what you want."

"I know you will. But the longer you take, the higher the risk that Jeremy won't make it. It is in your hands. I mean what I say Dr. Reese. You, of all people, should know that by now. You remember the last person you cared for that underestimated me?"

Dr. Reese was speechless. He sat down in one of the chairs and held his head in his hands in defeat. Bridger looked at him worriedly, knowing there was more to the story than Reese had mentioned. He'll have to clarify that. He then spoke up.

"Diaz, threatening a young boy? Involving him in a drug deal? Surely you can't be serious."

"Oh, captain I assure you I am very serious. Your people have no idea what happens in our confederation. I have worked my entire life for what I have. I am not about to let it go on a whim of conscience or because some almighty sea captain deems it is not fitting to society. Reese's boy needs to learn the reality of our situation…of the lives of so many others like us. This is how we survive." He took a small pause, letting his words sink in. "Your lovely crewmember is getting a wonderful first-hand experience of our daily lifestyle. She has been extremely helpful to me…and my men." Now he was toying with Nathan. "In fact, having her here has really…helped me stay _warm_ the last two nights." He grinned, knowing what his words implied.

Nathan couldn't hear anymore. He refused to think that Kristin was being subjected to this. "_Enough_, Diaz! Let me see her. Show me she is okay."

"Very well, captain." He shifted the camera to show Kristin, bound and gagged to the chair, trying to hold back tears and unable to move.

"Kristin!" Nathan's heart stopped for a moment, seeing her tied up like that. "Diaz, please…let her go. She's already been through enough. We know about the drug deal last night. Was she shot? Is she okay?"

Diaz perked up. "Oh, you are aware of her work for me already? She is very useful in so many ways." He smiled wickedly.

Bridger asked again more forcefully, unfazed by Diaz' attempts to distract him. "Was she shot?"

"Captain, a minor incident. Of course she is fine. Her abilities with Reese's serum are far too great. Did you also know she is quite the little actress? And I can't tell you how enticing she looked in that outfit I picked out for her. Of course those men at the hotel couldn't resist…and neither could we."

Kristin shut her eyes, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over her. She hated what Diaz kept suggesting to Nathan. The idea that her captain had known about what happened…and possibly seen what she did…made her sick to her stomach. He knew she was involved in a drug deal and a murder. But she had no choice….he had to know that.

As if sensing her discomfort, Nathan spoke up. "Diaz, my CMO would have never willingly participated in your little game unless you threatened her or someone she cares for. Kristin! Listen to me! I know you had no choice. I know it must have been hard and I promise you we will all be there for you to help you deal with what's happened. We're coming for you…._I'm_ coming for you."

He saw her eyes open and stare at him as she nodded slightly, a single tear falling down her cheek. At that moment, the camera twisted back solely to Diaz.

"Now, now, Bridger. I will not have you giving my new friend a false sense of hope. She will continue to work for me until I no longer have any use for her. Even then, I'm sure my men will find some _other_ use for her."

"That's it, Diaz! I'm through with your insinuations! Dr. Westphalen is a distinguished member of my crew and head of the science team aboard the SeaQuest. I demand that you release her and Jeremy Reese, as well as any other innocent life you hold hostage… or so help me I _will _hunt you down."

"Don't bother with threats, captain. We both know you are in no position to do so. Dr. Reese will have the serum ready for me by tomorrow morning, is that clear? Do not underestimate me, Captain. I will contact you in the morning. But first, Jeremy and Dr. Westphalen are going to do me a favor."

Dr. Reese spoke up quickly. "Diaz, the serum's effects don't last long. It's wearing off on all of our tests. In fact, I suspect Dr. Westphalen doesn't have much time left before she's back to normal."

Diaz seemed to ponder this for a quick second, taking a look at Kristin, who was now understanding why her wrinkles were returning. It made perfect sense to her. No organism could maintain those levels of enzymatic activity for a prolonged period.

Diaz looked back at Bridger and Reese with a smile. "Well, then. I guess we'll find out just how lucky the good doctor is, then, won't we? Good night, gentlemen."

The link was cut immediately. Bridger let out a deep breath he didn't know he was holding in as he walked to the door. He looked out and saw Lucas, who gave a bit of a promising look.

"Cap, I've got something."

A/N: I was way overdue with this chapter and I promise I will update more frequently. I have also not abandoned my other story and I have other ideas I hope to get written soon, as well. As always, thank you to those of you who have stuck with the story and have read and reviewed my work. I always appreciate comments (both constructive criticism and praise). It's easier to write when I know people are interested Also, thank you to those of you who are also writing your own stories. I can't tell you how exciting it is to see more and more SeaQuest stories popping up. Keep them coming! You inspire, motivate and entertain me to no end.


	9. Chapter 9

**Healing the Wild – Chapter 9**

**At Diaz's estate…**

Diaz looked pleased with himself as he walked over to Kristin and held her chin as she tried looking away.

"Well, dear Kristin. It appears you may not have much time left. All the more reason to take good care tonight. You realize that with or without your little _gift_…you are going to deliver for me tonight. Or else." He smiled as he let her chin go. He motioned to one of the guards, who then removed her gag. She coughed a few times to get rid of the taste and get a good breath of air in.

"Please, Diaz. Leave him alone. I'll do what you ask. But he is only a boy. Don't put him through this."

"Kristin, as much as I enjoy it, begging doesn't really suit you. You _will_ do as I ask…but so will _he._ Won't you, Jeremy?"

Jeremy kept quiet and nodded.

"Good, my dear boy."

"Please, don't hurt her, Mr. Diaz. Not like my mom."

In an instant, Kristin's heart sank. The boy lost his mother in a drug deal.

Diaz seemed to visibly stiffen at the mention of Jeremy's mother.

"Jeremy, your father hasn't told you everything about what happened to your mother. Did he tell you how she died?"

Jeremy looked down at the floor, shaking his head in a silent answer.

"Well, let me enlighten you. You see, your father has probably never mentioned how he used to work for me…has he?"

Jeremy looked confused and Kristin listened as some of the missing pieces started falling into place.

**Back on the SeaQuest… **

"What did you get, Lucas?" Bridger felt a glimmer of hope as he replayed the last few minutes in his head trying to figure out a plan.

"Cap, I wasn't able to trace the call cause he had the signal jammed, but I was able to hack into his communications and install a bug that will let us know if and when he makes a call and will transmit a recording of that call to us. I know it's not ideal, but it's the best I could do."

Bridger smiled and gave the young man a hug. "That's the best chance we've got. Good work, Lucas!" Lucas hugged back, giving and receiving comfort from the man he cared for like a father.

Nathan looked over at Dr. Reese and knew he was trying to avoid the obvious question. "Dr. Reese, would you care to explain what Diaz was referring to in there?"

Reese let out a sigh, accepting the current situation for what it was and allowing himself to admit the full story.

"Captain, I suppose I must let you know the truth. I…used to work for Diaz."

He knew the confused and judging looks that would accompany that statement, but continued, trying to explain as much as he could.

"You see, when Jeremy was born, I didn't have much in the way of financial stability. I was desperate. I guess you could say something…_fate_, perhaps_…_led me to a local bar where I ran into a seemingly generous man. Alfredo Diaz. He knew I had a science background and knew a lot about plant biology. He said I would be able to make large sums of money if I helped him start up a business venture. It was all so tempting at the time…it seemed like a solution to all my problems." He paused for a moment. "I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I helped him get his start dealing in cannabis, alcohol and tobacco, sometimes participating in the deals themselves. It seemed harmless at first….mostly teenagers wanting to get high or wasted without their parents knowing. I told my wife I was working at a research laboratory at night. She'd met Diaz a couple of times. He told her he was my laboratory boss and that were starting up a pharmaceutical company. She didn't exactly trust him, but I had a steady and generous paycheck…in cash, mind you…so she didn't really protest. And he told her to keep to herself because we were doing top secret research. She didn't understand what we were doing but he told her not to underestimate him and his ability to grow a business. But then things escalated. The demand for cocaine, heroin, amphetamines…it all became clear where this was going. I was coming home tired, sometimes bruised and bloodied and I would hide it from her. I think she knew anyway. I worried for my life and for my family. My _wife_ worried for our family."

He took a deep breath, the memory of his wife clearly striking a somber mood.

"During one of our deals, my wife followed me. So many nights I had lied to her about where I was…she figured out that something was wrong. Unfortunately, she confronted me at the wrong time and botched a huge deal. She never saw the bullet hit her." At this point, he was tearing up, unable to hold back his emotions. "My wife died in my arms, Captain. It was almost instant. I barely had a chance to apologize to her for those restless nights wondering if and when I would come home. We had a child…and I lost him his mother because I let my greed take precedence over my family." Reese sat down on the chair, unable continue for a moment. Bridger and Lucas looked at each other, finally understanding what this man went through and why Diaz was so heavily involved in his life.

Reese continued. "I told Diaz after that night that I could no longer be involved in his deals. Of course, he refused to let me just walk away. He told me it was my wife's own fault for underestimating him. He said he warned her not to get involved. I tried escaping by moving with Jeremy to _Terra Guardi_. We had a little over a year before I heard from Diaz again. And then I was stuck helping him all these years. That was the deal. And he contributed generous amounts of money to the lab. So you see…I am not as innocent as I wish I was. I started this whole mess. It's my fault my wife is dead and my child is involved with a drug lord. It's my fault there is this horrible drug cartel in Colombia that is ruining the lives of so many people." He sounded defeated.

Nathan spoke up, trying to alleviate this man's guilt and give some sense of hope. "It isn't your fault. If Diaz hadn't found you he would have found someone else to start up his venture. As for your wife, I can't tell you how sorry I am for your loss. I, too, know the pain of losing a loved one. But the past is just that…the past. You've got to think about that boy's future. And right now, we are going to do everything we can to help bring him and my Chief Medical Officer back to the SeaQuest. Now hang in there…if Lucas' bug works as planned, we may have a lead."

Reese smiled, somewhat reassured that the Captain was not as harsh on him as he had feared.

**Back at Diaz's estate…**

Diaz had briefly told Jeremy and Kristin of Sean Reese's involvement in his cartel. Suddenly, the pieces fell together and Kristin understood why Reese always looked so guilt-ridden…and why the boy's mother seemed amiss throughout this whole experience. _The poor dear_, she thought as she looked at Jeremy, a few tears escaping as she heard the story. Diaz continued his conversation.

"So…now that you know your father's history, you will see that he is not as innocent as you may have thought. I think, in some way, he _meant_ for you to be involved in my business. This will be good for you, dear boy. He was a natural at it…and I assume you will be as well. And you have a very _talented_ partner tonight." He smiled at Kristin, who looked away. "Now, why don't you two go get ready for tonight?"

He nodded at his men, who escorted Kristin and Jeremy back out to their respective rooms. He then turned back to his vidphone and dialed a number.

**Back at SeaQuest…**

The three people on SeaDeck were slightly startled as they heard Lucas' program make a loud _ding_ noise.

"Captain, it's working right now." Lucas smiled and tapped a few keys to pull up a video screen.

An image of Diaz appeared on the left, with his recipient on the right hand side of the screen. They were unaware of the three pairs of eyes listening intently to their conversation.

**Back at Diaz's estate…**

"Armando…I trust my men spoke with you. Is everything ready for tonight? Do you have the money?"

"Diaz, I have the money, don't you worry. What I want to know is that you and your men will be there with my merchandise."

"Oh, I assure you my _men_ will be there." Diaz responded with a knowing smile.

"_Excelente_. Then we will see you at ten o'clock."

"_Hostel Mamallena_. We'll be there. Just be sure your men deliver. Don't try to short change me, _amigo_. I don't respond well to people who don't follow through with their deals. I'm sure you've heard of what happened to Feliciano's men yesterday. He tried to give me fake bills last time. That was a message. I can be your friend or I can be your enemy. You choose." He smiled, making his threat transparent to this new prospect.

Armando cleared his throat, clearly receiving the message. "I understand, Diaz. I look forward to a mutual relationship." He smiled nervously.

"Very well. Ten o'clock."

He hung up the vidphone.

**Back on the SeaQuest…**

The vidlink closed and Bridger was the first to comment. "We got him. Lucas, I think you may have just saved Kristin's life." He patted the boy on the back in a grateful manner.

Lucas looked entirely please with himself, feeling for the first time in a while that he had actually contributed something meaningful on his own. And it gave him a new sense of hope for saving the doc.

"Let's go kick some drug dealer butt."

Bridger let out a small giggle, feeling both relieved that they had a potential light at the end of their tunnel, and amused at the teenager's sense of humor.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Lucas. We need to go let Chief Rodriguez know of this information. We're going to need his help. Dr. Reese, you come with me."

Reese nodded in agreement and the two men walked off to the bridge to regroup and contact the Colombian chief of police.


	10. Chapter 10

**Healing the Wild – Chapter 10**

**On the SeaQuest in the Ward Room…**

Commander Ford, Ortiz, O'Neill, Hitchcock, Crocker, Shan, Lucas, and Dr. Reese were seated around the large conference table, as Bridger sat at the head of the table and spoke with the Chief of police in Cartagena on screen. Several other crew members lined the room.

"So you see, Chief Rodriguez, we seem to know exactly where Diaz and his men will strike. And, unfortunately, he's going to use my CMO and Dr. Reese's son as distractions."

Chief Rodriguez nodded in understanding, having just watched the replay of Diaz's message to Armando.

"Captain Bridger, this is the closest we have gotten to him in a long time…we offer our sincerest gratitude to you and your crew for providing this information."

"Thanks won't be necessary until we make sure my crew member and this boy are safe and this man is behind bars."

"Of course, Captain. In that case, we will set up a perimeter around the _Hostel Mamallena_ to watch for any suspicious activity, especially to watch for your crew member and the boy."

"I plan to be there with you when it happens."

The _SeaQuest_ crew looked at him in a bit of shock. Lucas smiled knowingly. Ford spoke up.

"Sir, with all due respect, this is a very dangerous situation. I would advise you against putting yourself in harm's way."

"Commander, I appreciate your concern, but I am responsible for the well-being of my crew. I cannot stand by when I know I can be there to protect her." He took a breath, stopping his near emotional outburst. "Now, I expect you to have control of the ship while I'm gone." Ford paused and nodded. Nathan looked at the rest of the crew. "This is an unofficial mission, so I don't expect any of you to volunteer."

Crocker spoke up "Hell, Cap. You know it's damn near impossible for us not to when it comes to saving one of our own...especially the Doc. Count me in." Crocker knew the real motive behind his friend's willingness to put his life in danger to save Kristin and he wasn't about to let Nathan get hurt in the process. Several other crew members nodded in agreement.

**Cartagena, Colombia...**

Wearing plain clothes, a hat and a fake mustache, Nathan sat about 3 blocks away of the _Hostel Mamallena _at an outdoor cafe_, _holding his breath as he looked at his watch for the 20th time in the last 5 minutes and resumed staring nervously at the glass of water in front of him. Crocker looked worriedly at his friend from across the table.

"Cap, it's still only 9:40."

"I know that Chief. I'm just trying to make sure I'm aware if there's any sign of her."

"Look, Rodriguez has the place covered. They seemed just as eager to catch this guy as you are."

"Well, my priority is making sure Kristin and that little boy are safe first. I'll let the Feds deal with Diaz.

_And then I'll pay him a little visit myself..._he thought.

Miguel Ortiz checked his earpiece was in place before turning the corner.

"I'm going into position."

His clothes were dirty and baggy, his hair was messy, and his eyes were made to look sunken and red. Nathan and Crocker both saw Ortiz walking near the Hostel and sitting on the floor in the alley around the corner. He took out a paper bag with a bottle inside and pretended to take swigs and look drunk.

"Captain, can I ask you a question? Why do I always end up being a drunk on these rescue missions?"

Nathan let out a small chuckle as he spoke to the man on the other end of the earpiece..

"I'll remind you that you volunteered for this mission, Mr. Ortiz. And don't think I don't appreciate it." He replied. After a pause, he continued. "Besides...nobody can play a wasted Latino like you can. Must come from experience." He added with a hint of humor.

"I can't argue with that.." He chuckled...but his smile disappeared after a few short moments.

"I'm seeing some movement near the end of the street. Five men getting out of a car."

Chief Rodriguez chimed in from his position on top of a nearby roof, looking through binoculars.. "That might be Diaz' men taking position. I see the young boy with them."

"I don't see the doctor." Ortiz responded. "But three of them are headed this way with the boy. The others are heading a different direction."

"I have a guy keeping an eye on each of them." Rodriguez responded.

The three men walked around the corner of the Hostel and down the back alley where Miguel was sitting. Miguel pretended to be passed out. One of the men took a look at him.

"_Oye, hombres! Tenemos un borracho aquí!" _He exclaimed. Miguel knew he was calling him out. He had to keep the act up, but he also knew this guy probably wanted him to leave. The other two men looked at him as well. One of the men kicked him in the leg. He didn't move, hoping they would just be okay with leaving him alone.

"_Está dormido. Dejenlo." _One of the other men spoke up and then looked at Jeremy.. "_Vamos, chamaco. Es hora de que vayas a trabajar." _He grabbed Jeremy and the four walked down to the back of the building. Miguel let out a deep breath, thankful the men just figured he was passed out.

"That was close." Bridger spoke first.Moments later, Kristin got out of a car that had been parked near the hostel. Her outfit was even more suggestive than her previous one, the short black skirt ending no less than a foot above her knee and the white v-neck tank top bearing more of her cleavage than she had ever shown even in her younger days. She took a deep breath in front of the Hostel entrance. At the same time Nathan completely lost his breath as he spotted her from across the street.

"Go Ortiz...go."

On cue, Ortiz got up from his spot and started stumbling towards Kristin.

"_Hola, muchacha. Porqué no vienes conmigo, eh? _Let's have some fun." He made sure to slur his words, keeping up appearances. Kristin looked disgusted when she heard the words, but she turned around and took a quick glance at the drunken man's face. She tried to hide any sign of recognition and hope as she realized that _SeaQuest_ had found her. Miguel glanced down at his hand as if to catch her attention and took a step closer towards her as he quickly swiped it down her arm and handed her a small bug, being sure to hide it from anyone inside the car. He made a pass to try and wrap his other arm around her waist and nuzzled his face in her neck. "Keep this on you somewhere safe." He whispered inconspicuously. Kristin realized what he was doing, but before she could respond, the door to the car she was in opened and Diaz himself stepped out menacingly to address Ortiz.

"_Vete de aqui, borracho. Ella está conmigo."_ While Diaz was distracted with Ortiz, Kristin took the opportunity to quickly slip the bug she had been given in her bra. Diaz wrapped his arm around Kristin's waist, making it clear he should go. Miguel put his hands up in mock surrender and took another swig from his bottle as he walked away.

"_Si, señor. No quiero problemas. Solo estaba buscando a fiestar. _Goodbye, beautiful." He walked away towards the cafe, passing by Bridger as he disappeared around the corner.

"She got it."

"Good work, Ortiz." Bridger responded.

Diaz led Kristin into the Hostel. "Come on, dear. My men tell me Armando wants me to pay him a little visit" Kristin breathed a bit easier knowing Ortiz was nearby and they were being monitored. _Thank God_, she thought.

As they walked into the large lobby, Kristin looked around, noticing small groups of men talking to each other. Almost all of them stole a glance at her, some lingering and scanning her from head to toe. She had never felt so exposed and vulnerable. Diaz kept her close as he led her to a table in the corner where an older looking gentleman was seated.

"Hello, Armando." Diaz spoke up. "I did not expect to see you here, but my men told me you wanted me to meet you now."

Kristin noticed the other man looked like he was trying to hide his fear as he glanced at Diaz. "I was under the impression you do not attend these things.

"Well, considering this is a new...venture...I wanted to tend to this personally."

"I am here for the same reason. But I just spoke with one of my friends in the _federales. _He said that the SeaQuest is aware of this transaction and they are currently waiting for you upstairs."

Diaz looked surprised and confused. "How can that be? I do not have any leaks in my men."

"From what I heard, the SeaQuest seems to have a genius hacker that sent a virus to your vid link when you called them to gloat. They were able to see your call to me. You were sloppy, Diaz." Armando seemed angry at Diaz. Kristin tried to hide her proud smile, knowing Lucas was the reason that they found her. Diaz seemed to notice her reaction and tightened his grip on her arm.

**Meanwhile, outside...**

Nathan and the rest of the team listened in on the conversation allowed by Kristin's bug. His eyes widened when they heard Armando say he knew they were there.

Chief Rodriguez spoke up. "Don't worry, Captain. My men have already taken control of the situation upstairs and the boy is safely in custody. We have the entire place surrounded. There's no way they'll be able to escape now. "

"Then let's move in."

"Keep in mind we don't want to cause a panic amongst the hotel guests. It would ruin tourism in the area."

"Fine. Then let's move in _quietly_."He responded trying to hold back his frustration and wanting to act quickly.

Nathan, Shan and Crocker walked into the entrance trying to act casually with their hands ready to draw their guns. Some of the Rodriguez' men were coming down the stairs of the lobby, also ready to draw fire if needed. Everyone looked around but they couldn't see Armando, Diaz or Kristin. Nathan walked up to one of Rodriguez' men.

"Where's Diaz?"

"I was hoping you would be telling me where he was. They're gone."

"What? How could that be?

"We've searched everywhere in the lobby. There's no sign of them."

At that moment, they heard a woman screaming outside as well as in their earpiece, followed by Crocker running in from the back entrance.

"Captain! They're getting away!"

Bridger and the rest of the team in the lobby immediately ran towards the back entrance and saw a car at the end of the alleyway. The back door was closing as the car started speeding off.

"Kristin!" Nathan screamed in frustration as the team tried in vain to run behind the car. He managed to see a glimpse of Kristin twisting around to see him out the back window of the car as she cried out, only to be held back by the two men on either side of her. He noticed one of the men closely and let out a frustrated sigh, venting his anger by kicking a nearby dumpster. He leaned against the dumpster as he spoke dejectedly into his microphone.

"Chief Rodriguez, what do you know of the man who was standing guard in the back entrance?"

"Juarez? He's been with us for almost four years. He's one of my best men. Why, captain?"

"Well, I just saw him in Armando's car restraining Kristin. I'm afraid we've found your traitor."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**A/N: Just a warning, this chapter gets a bit graphic on the violence in the end. **

**In Armando's car...**

Armando's driver maneuvered the roads to get away from the scene. The back of the car had two back seats facing each other. Diaz sat in the back holding onto Kristin, with Juarez sitting on the other side of her. Armando sat opposite the three of them, staring at Kristin while holding a gun menacingly at Juarez. Kristin had given up fighting and was staring down expressionless at her hands clasped and resting above her knees. Armando spoke up.

"Diaz, you nearly caused both of our empires to crash because of your careless mistake."

"I suppose I should express my gratitude for giving me a clean getaway."

"I didn't do it out of any allegiance to you. If I had known the _federales_ would be there beforehand I wouldn't have even showed up. But when I saw my friend, Juarez, there I had to find a way to get out of this mess."

Diaz looked nervous as he responded. "And I am forever indebted to you." He looked thoughtfully looked at Kristin, who was trying to avoid all eye contact with anyone, and then back at Armando. "I'll tell you what. I have this woman here that you can _borrow_ for a while as a sign of good faith and as a thank you for getting us out of there. She will do _anything_ you ask, I assure you." He smiled and noticed Kristin tense up at the idea of what he wanted her to do.

Armando stared at Kristin lustfully. He seemed intrigued.

"I could use a good _puta_ to warm my bed. Are you serious, Diaz?"

Diaz let out a small chuckle. "Of course, my friend. And believe me, a tasty one like this? She will take good care of you. She is highly motivated to serve me and my interests, isn't that right, _princesa?"_

Diaz smiled as he noticed Kristin was uncomfortable. He reached his hand under her chin and forced her to face him, but she maintained her gaze looking down.

"You know what you have to do, _doctor_." The mention of the word doctor made Armando look at Kristin thoughtfully while Diaz continued talking to her. "Don't forget our little deal. If you don't satisfy him or do as he says, you can forget about your daughter. This is your new life. You'd better learn to accept it...the life of a wealthy drug lord's woman can be very..._pleasurable_. Now, do I make myself clear?"

Kristin maneuvered her chin out of Diaz's grasp and continued to stare down to try and avoid conversation. Diaz looked angry. Noticing this, Armando spoke up.

"Diaz, let me handle her. You are a doctor? Well, I can only imagine you are new to this world. And while you are packaged rather attractively, something tells me a woman of your intelligence can be of much better use to me than just to warm my bed. You see, I am currently in need of a doctor for my business. Let's just say our last doctor became rather _dispensable_ after he tried to report to the police. You understand I cannot simply walk into a hospital when my men get hurt. I would like for you to join me." He paused for a moment, letting the words sink in. Diaz looked at him suspiciously.

"Come on, Diaz. Admit it. You _owe_ me. The least you can do is give me this woman." He turned back to Kristin. "What do you say, my dear?"

Kristin remained silent, unwilling to give this man any hint of what she was thinking as she tried to come up with a plan. Armando grew impatient.

"Or we could do this the hard way." He cocked the gun and aimed it at her, which made her visibly tense.

"You do realize I could kill you right now and your friends would never find you. I have no intention of calling them to gloat or to exact any sort of revenge. That was Alfredo's mistake. His ego almost got in the way of his success and almost cost me mine." Diaz looked upset at him but didn't say anything. Armando continued. "But I am also willing to hurt your family if you don't join me. That is one tactic besides money that Alfredo and I can agree with. Isn't that right, Juarez?" He looked at the man next to Kristin, who worked for Chief Rodriguez and the Cartagena Police. You see, Juarez let me know the feds were there."

The police officer had a guilty expression on his face as he looked at Kristin and spoke up quietly. "I'm sorry but he was threatening my wife and baby daughter. I had to do what he said."

Kristin shot him a sympathetic look, knowing the man did what he could to protect his family, just as she had. Armando continued.

"It really is the best way to _inspire_ cooperation. Now, one more time, doctor. What do you say to my offer?"

Kristin stared wearily. "I don't seem to have much of a choice, do I?"

Armando smiled.

**In another car...**

Chief Rodriguez, Nathan, Shan and Crocker all rode in one undercover police car while listening to the conversation that played out in Armando's car. Rodriguez held a tablet, following a blinking dot along a map. They were about five minutes behind the target.

"Bridger, we have to maintain our distance. I have several cars and helicopters in pursuit coming behind us. We do not want to arouse suspicion too early. If they are headed to Armando's complex, this could be the lead we've been hoping for. We must let them arrive at their destination."

Nathan nodded, uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going in Armando's car. He wanted nothing more than to have them barricade the car and shoot the tires so they could get Kristin out of that situation. It made him sick to think what Diaz wanted her to do and now that Armando wanted her to tend to wounded drug lords.

"I just hate subjecting her to much more of this."

"Well, thankfully, she is still wearing the bug and it is our best chance at putting a stop to this group once and for all. I have the entire force listening in and following the coordinates. This is our biggest case. In a way, it is somewhat of a relief to know Juarez was forced against his will and was not volunteering to help Armando for money. I have complete trust in Juarez and know he is, first and foremost, a family man. Which is probably why Armando saw him as the perfect target to threaten into compliance."

"That seems to be the M.O. for most of these guys."

"It is a dirty business, Captain. These people are ruthless. They have no remorse for who they threaten or kill in order to make money."

**Back in Armando's car...**

The driver, who had remained quiet up until this point, spoke out to Armando.

"Sir, we are almost there."

"Very good." He continued to leer at Kristin.

The car pulled into the driveway of an average-looking house in a typical suburban area of Cartagena. Diaz seemed confused.

"This is where you have your operation?"

"You and I differ on how to best avoid suspicion. I believe in hiding in plain sight. It makes it less conspicuous." The car pulled up to the side of the house.

"Now, what do you say we all get better acquainted inside? Not one word from any of you." He threatened with the gun.

They all walked out of the car and into the front door, with Armando holding Kristin's arm as he maintained a grip on his gun, pointing it at Juarez and Diaz. They walked into a large open living room and kitchen area. Armando locked the door behind them. There were two men in one corner packaging stacks of what Kristin assumed were hundreds of bricks of cocaine. Another group of men were sitting at a dining table with several small pouches full of crystals. Two other men were stacking bundles of cash on the kitchen counter. One of the men saw them walking in and smiled.

"_Jefe! _What are you doing back so soon? And with some new friends?"

"Hola, _mijos!" _Armando called to them. "It seems our little transaction didn't go as planned. Our associate, Diaz, almost allowed the _federales_ to catch up to us."

The other men stopped what they were doing and looked upset, all walking towards the middle of the living room. Diaz looked confused and somewhat nervous as to what was about to happen.

"What do you want us to do about it, _jefe?_"

"I think we should show him what happens when someone makes a mistake."

"Yes, sir." Two of the men grabbed Diaz by the arm and led him to sit down on the plastic-covered couch, with the rest of the men surrounding him.

"Armando, what are you doing? I thought we were to be business partners."

Armando chuckled knowingly and placed his gun back in his pocket. "Business partners? After you almost got us all caught? No, Diaz. You and your pride have gotten the best of you. Most of your men are now in federal custody. What makes you think one of them won't rat you out and lead them back to your hideout? I saved you from the police so I could take care of you myself. I want nothing to do with people who are careless, Diaz. In this line of work we have no room for carelessness. You know that." He smiled wickedly. "Besides, now that you're out of the business, I will have more demand for my product. I have no more use for you."

Diaz looked scared, for once. One of the men quickly tied a gag around his mouth before he could say anything. He shook his head and tried to scream, struggling against the man who was now holding him down on the couch. Another man drew a switchblade from the back of his pocket and walked towards him. At this point, Juarez had turned around to face away from the scene and Kristin tried breaking free from Armando. She would have crumpled up on the floor had he not held a tight grip on her and forced her to watch. He used his free hand to cover her mouth stifle her cry as the man slit Diaz's throat in one quick swipe. She quickly closed her eyes, trying to erase the image. The other men made sure the blood dripped onto the plastic as Diaz's head slowly leaned back and his lifeless body slumped onto its side on the couch. The men looked unfazed by this and seemed to have done this many times before. They quickly started peeling the plastic off of the couch, raising up the ends so as to not spill any blood on the floor, and wrapped the top to completely cover the body. They lifted it effortlessly to drag it out through the kitchen door to the back yard. As the door closed behind them, Kristin felt like she was going to throw up. Armando noticed and smiled as he let go of his grip, letting her drop to her knees in shock.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Armando smiled as he saw Kristin seemingly give up hope.

"I would say I am sorry to have subjected you to that but I have to make sure you and Juarez are aware of the seriousness of our line of work and why you must not mess with me or my operation. I never liked Diaz. He was greedy and cocky and he stole a lot of our business...not to mention, that crazy stunt he pulled in _Barranquillas_. He and I don't see eye to eye...or rather, we _didn't_."

Juarez spoke up, trying to figure out how to get out of this mess. "So what do you want us to do now?"

"Well, I'm sure it's been a long day for both of you. Can I offer you something to eat?"

Kristin grimaced at the thought of food after what they just witnessed and shook her head.

"I suppose as soon as my men get back in here we will discuss our new living and working arrangements. I'm sure they'll be happy to share their rooms...and beds with you." He noticed how uncomfortable he was making Kristin and kept going. "Or perhaps you'd like to lie down on the couch." He added as she frowned even further at the thought. At that moment, they heard a helicopter flying nearby and the sound of several car doors slamming shut just outside the house. Armando ran to the front of the house and took a quick look out the window blinds and saw dozens of police and federal agents pointing guns towards the house.

He frowned as he registered what was going on. "_Carajo_! It seems my men won't be back, after all."

Kristin's eyes widened and looked at Juarez, who smiled slightly at her. A voice on a loudspeaker could be heard.

"Give it up, Armando. It's over! We have your men and Diaz's body. We have the house surrounded. There's nowhere for you to go. Hand over Juarez and the woman unharmed and we can negotiate."

Armando looked around, suddenly aware that there was not much he could do to escape at this point.

He looked down, trying to think. "How? How did they know where to find us? I was so careful." He seemed genuinely nervous and confused. He looked at Juarez angrily. "You...did _you_ tell them?" He pulled his gun up to point at him.

Juarez was scared at the sudden rage that came out of the old man. "No, Armando. I would never do something to upset you like that."

"Don't lie to me, Juarez!" He cocked the gun and pointed it at Juarez's head.

"No! I swear! Armando! Please! I have a wife and daughter!"

Kristin spoke up in a panic. "No! Please don't hurt him! It was me! I led them here! I'm wearing a bug!"

**Just outside...**

As soon as she spoke those words, Nathan frowned, worried that she might have just sacrificed herself to save this man. He let out a small sigh. "Oh God...Kristin." Chief Rodriguez noticed his worry and tried to console him with a quick pat on the back.

**Back in the house...**

Kristin reached into her shirt and pulled out the bug, throwing it on the floor next to her. Armando dropped the gun from Juarez and turned to look at her angrily. Kristin made eye contact with Juarez and shifted her eyes to the front door as if to say he should make a run for it.

"Let him go, Armando. Take it out on me."

"You will pay for this, _bicha." _

Before Armando could pull the gun up to point it at her, Juarez took the opportunity to quickly punch the gun away from his hand and push him to the floor.

"Come on!" Juarez yelled at Kristin to follow him as he turned to unlock the front door and ran out with his hands up. Kristin barely got two steps in front of her before Armando managed to grab her ankle. She fell suddenly, but was quickly able to kick him off and regain her footing. She kept running for the door. However at the same time, Armando regained control of his gun and got up to run after her.

**Outside...**

Kristin could barely catch her breath as she ran as fast as she could out the door., which was hard to do in her heels. The first thing she saw was Nathan holding out his arms to encourage her. He smiled and released a breath, knowing she was free, and started closing the gap between them, not registering anything else happening around him. When she was just a few steps away from him, he heard Chief Rodriguez screaming from behind him. "Drop your weapon, now!" Milliseconds later, as time seemed to move in slow motion, Kristin's body jerked as he heard a gunshot.

"Bridger, get down!" The voice seemed distant, but Nathan somehow managed to react quickly enough to wrap his arms around Kristin and twist them so he gently lay her down on the ground next to him, using his body to partially shield hers. His movements were followed by a steady stream of gunshots coming from the police and Nathan briefly looked up to notice Armando's body fall lifelessly to the ground at the foot of the door. He glanced down at Kristin, her face obviously in pain and her eyes barely open as he noticed the blood dripping from her shirt, staining the pavement below. His movements were now hurried as he called out to Rodriguez.

"Dammit! Get her to the hospital! Now!" He was taking off his outer shirt and trying helplessly to wrap it around her and apply pressure to her wound.

Rodriguez quickly pulled out his radio. "Bring down the chopper, we've got a gunshot wound." He looked back at Nathan. "The helicopter can get both of you there. It's much faster."

Nathan looked at Kristin worriedly. "Talk to me Kristin."

"Nathan...I..." she winced at the pain and took a deep breath.

He interrupted her. "Kristin...you are going to be fine. We're getting you out of here."

No sooner were the words spoken when the police copter idling nearby made its way down to street level. Nathan quickly scooped Kristin up in his arms and carried her to the back of the chopper.

"Go! Go!" He yelled towards the pilot as soon as they were inside and the helicopter moved swiftly over the city to a nearby hospital.

Kristin spoke up. "Armando?"

"The police got him. I'm pretty sure he's dead."

"And where's the boy?" She struggled to stay awake and maintain a conversation.

"They have him in custody and are bringing him to Dr. Reese."

"Don't...don't let them take his child away. It's all he has."

"I know, Kristin. Reese told us the story. We'll do our best to help him." She nodded slowly and tried breathing they were landing, Nathan noticed her eyes were slowly closing.

"Come on, stay with me! Kristin!"

"Thank you...for not giving up on me. I think...I think my little...magic trick...is up."" She whispered weakly.

"Please...please stay with me! Oh God, Kristin don't leave me. Not now! Kristin!"

Those were the last words she heard as she closed her eyes and succumbed to the darkness.


End file.
